They Could Hardly Believe Their Eyes
by Theadosia57
Summary: My father says a new family are moving here to the quiet town of Forks, poor them. I hope they can cope with the Supernatural because it's the norm around here. Bella/Jasper Twilight AU DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its characters belong to S. Meyer. Otherwise, the rest is my musings on an AU.
1. Veritable Who's Who!

**A/N: I'm no JKR so no in-depth stuff about magic & spells xx Got a new page on Facebook, Theadosia57 go have a look and like it, lots of pictures of stuff from my stories xx Alexis**

My name is Bella, actually, my given name is Belladonna Mariette Swein, it's a mouthful for sure, but it's a well-kept secret as well. The world beyond Forks thinks it is Isabella Marie Swan, but that's neither here nor there. Before I start in on boring you all with my own story, I need to give you all a short history lesson. Not one you humans would get in your schools, oh no! This is about ancient magic!

This is the rough history of the magic that is here in Forks, Washington. In case you don't know where that is, it's here in the United States of America. Way, way up there on the far left-hand side to be precise. As far as you can go, before hitting the border between America and Canada. Every so often in the grand scheme of cosmic signs and portents, lay lines and ancient free magic, they combine together in one vicinity.

Thus drawing the supernatural to that location. Such a place could be called almost anything, this particular place is called, as I said before, Forks, Washington. As was the way in the very beginning, before humans existed here or anywhere actually. Each type of Fae went about its business and kept itself secret. Therefore separate from the rest of the Fae and this went on for many millennia.

However, little by little similar type's made themselves known to each other. Like for instance, the nymphs or sprites, the woodland ones were much more curious about their surroundings and let the water one's see them going about their day to day business. Still not interacting but cautiously aware of each other. All living in harmony, sharing their world equally and with no other motive but to enhance the gifts of **Jörð** or Mother Nature herself.

That was until later when larger humanoid Fae entered the picture along with the advent of humans. So where once they complimented each other in their quest to uphold the balance of nature alone, now we had opposites and enemies. As the humans evolved and covered the globe so too did the Fae from their homelands, many predatory and parasitic in nature.

The New World, now instantly became a dangerous and volatile place. As each different type vied for a position, some for dominance, others only looking for a peaceful existence. Then for whatever reason one or two from each type of light Fae were slowly drawn to smaller places like Forks. Treaties, covenants and bindings were put in place to ensure some measure of safety for all.

As Witches, Shaman, Shapeshifters, Fairies, Mere folk and Elementals also arrived and were happy to live side by side with small groups of humans and each other. Darker Fae took themselves off and although no longer hidden still remained separate, from the Light Fae and humans. But they live in other magical locations.

Usually larger and more dangerous, like 'New Orleans', 'Las Vegas' or 'New York' where many humans reside, being their prey. These were usually Vampires, Goblins, Warlocks, Djinn, Trolls and Werewolves. The other smaller Fae who weren't interested in the humans for good or bad just kept on as before doing Mother Nature's business and keeping out of the bigger Fae's way.

As time passed lines between the Light Fae started to blur as Witches married Fairies or Shapeshifters mated with Mere folk and so on. Eventually including the humans into this large melting pot of magic and now non-magic beings. But the Dark Fae stuck to their own individual groups and rarely mingled, unless absolutely necessary.

This status quo has existed now for many years, once in a while one group of Dark Fae try to get control and are slapped down by the others and we keep out of the way as best we can. So that brings me neatly to my story, as I said I'm Belladonna Mariette Swein. Unbeknown to those beyond Forks, I'm both a human and semi-immortal.

Most importantly I'm an Elemental Witch, watered down from our long-ago ancestors of Norse mythology. I live here along with my father, he is a Wizard and like me part human and also semi-immortal. My mother was fully human and unfortunately couldn't handle the truth when it all came out. So, Charlie, that's my dad, it's Karlis really.

But don't ever let him hear you calling him that, he hates it says it's girlie! Well, he had to erase it all from Renee's mind and planted false memories. Sadly, for us, she left believing us both to be dead. Charlie was heartbroken about it, but it was really for the best, for all of us including her. Some humans just can't accept the supernatural and my mother was one; it was at the time when I came into my true powers that she realised we were not normal humans.

Which was strange really, because how could she not see that living in a magical town? Never ageing or growing older as the years passed. Did she think we'd found the fountain of youth? Talk about living in denial! As a human semi-immortal, I age slowly like one year for every ten I'm alive. Therefore, the minute I hit puberty it slowed to a snail's pace.

Up until then, I was just like a human child. Around age thirteen, my life changed dramatically, so although I look like any normal seventeen and a half-year-old, I am actually fifty-eight years old. Of course, it's different for every one of us male or female, but the premise is still the same. Be you eight or eighteen when it happens.

Take my friend Angela she's sixty-six but looks twenty-one. Because puberty came at sixteen for her, Angela is also a Witch but a mystic healing one. Around town, you'll see humans wearing amulets or rings which stop them ageing to keep them looking the same age as their partners. Everyone here is either related to someone supernatural or is themselves.

We keep the place looking like any other small town and get the odd visitor. You know school inspectors, regional councillors or other officials from the real world. Then pandemonium happens as everyone has spells cast on them to look the right age etc, is bloody chaos really. Those that should be, long ago died are made to look like children and young adults and so far it's worked and if not we just modify some memories and everything is back to normal.

Well as normal as a supernatural town can be. Now that brings me to our news, my dad is the town's Chief of Police at age forty-two (two hundred and ninety-four) told me today a new family are moving here to Forks. This means we have to either cast the usual spells or stay as we all are now and I have to go back to high school. It's a lose, lose situation for me, I guess school won't be that bad.

However, the father of this family is a doctor and will be working at the local hospital. Damn, we haven't used conventional medicine in practically forever. We have to tell the outside world something's and when our last human doctor, who hadn't practised in years, died. Well, that really had to be reported sadly, so the medical board knew we were in need of a doctor then.

Hell, we haven't used the hospital since Jenny McHugh's gave us all the pox in nineteen fifty-seven; it was a spell gone wrong, big time. The local Quileute tribe's shaman Quill Ateara the second had us in there so he could treat as all at the same time. I didn't stop scratching for months after that, some people still had the odd pustulous boil on and off as well, yucky!

They, this new family have five teenage foster kids, two will be juniors with me and three are to be seniors. The mother, it appears is an interior designer so Charlie told me. That will make a change; we don't have one of those. Magical folks are naturally messy and a little lazy. If we want something we just add it into the existing setup, not always very aesthetically pleasing.

Imagine the Burrow from the Harry Potter books and you'll know what I mean! I love those books, JKR obviously has some Fae blood in her, she got so much right and the rest well, it would be nice, but is just a flight of fancy. Like the wand thing, we never use them in day-to-day life. They are only for ceremonial purposes. Also pointy hats and robes, how annoying would they be all the time, again just for ceremonies.

It wasn't until he mentioned the Doctors name that alarm bells started going off in my head. Because I am also the town's historian. Why was that name so familiar? I know I've read it somewhere; well it's off to the library for me. I love magic you know. I just line up all the old books, say the name 'Cullen' and 'hey presto'! Who invented that stupid phrase?

They flutter and fall open at the right page. Well, well, well! 'Stregone benefico' of course, I knew I recognised the name. Wow, Charlie just missed them, he moved here in nineteen forty-five when 'Forks' became a town. They had just left in nineteen forty-four maybe and I was born in nineteen forty-six.

What's that about a small world, of course, it's the magic that drew them in the first place and they assume nobody will know them now? Because the last time they were in Forks it was only the tribe and the Nymphs who were here, besides a few loggers who lived elsewhere. Well, this will set the cat among the pigeon's; we've never had vampires here, as they are usually dark Fae.

Not everyone's going to like this. Of course, by that, I mean the wolf pack. The Quileute tribe live on the local reservation and they too have magic, very powerful magic that allows them to shift their forms into those of horse-sized wolves. Their shaman, Quill Ateara the third is our doctor, magical doctor and we co-exist well with them.

Actually, we've blended, just as with all other magical beings and one is my going to be my future life partner, well at least I think so! As long as he keeps shifting, we'll be together. His name is, well I don't know yet! A fortune-teller with a travelling fair, that my mother took me to when I was ten told me I'd meet him in Forks! I wasn't listening, because she wasn't magic she was a charlatan!

Then as my mother wandered off the woman went into a trance, said he would be supernatural, not like me at all and '**M**' was an important letter in his life! I hope its Embry Call, that being a play on the letter M. His mother came from a non-magic tribe called the Makah up in Neah Bay but got herself entranced by Sam Uley's dad. The tribe's name could also be the M.

He, Joshua Uley, was the shaman in training then and it all went to his head. No, his other head, if you catch my drift! Then the silly fool got himself killed by a nomadic vampire and nobody knew about Embry's conception until Tiffany arrived here demanding he marry her. Only to find he had already been married to Alison and Sam was also his son.

She stayed reluctantly at first, but slowly the two women became close friends and when it became apparent Embry had the wolf magic too, they never left. I knew if he was to be my partner I'd had to wait till he grew up, that was interminable. One of the serious drawbacks of being so long-lived, but hey, he's all grown up now!

Otherwise, I'm totally stumped, who could it possibly be? I don't know that many supernaturals! Well, I better ring the town bell and let everyone know. Then we'll have to decide to tell them or not! Or at least wait and see if they are trustworthy. He might be a 'Good Vampire', but what of the others? We have to be sure before spilling all our secrets.

It's not them telling the humans that worries us. It's their own kind, they have rulers, and they have laws too. But the other vampire's are a danger to us; witches turned into vampires are never a good thing. It corrupts the magic in many cases and turns it dark, more than dark, deadly. At the sound of the bell, the council of Forks congregate for a meeting.

I rarely ever ring the bell so they know it is important. Everyone decides it is best to drop his or her glamour for this meeting. As it's hard to be serious when the oldest member of the council looks like a six-year-old boy. Romain Octaff is one hundred and fifty, meaning he's actually one thousand three hundred and sixty-five and is our most ancient leader.

He and his wife Alina came here in nineteen forty-five too. Looking for a quiet place to settle for their end of days. We rarely live past twelve hundred and Romain and Alina are well over that, it's just a matter of time as they say. They are both spell casters and they more than anyone else protect our home from the outside world.

Angela's husband Ben Cheney will be the one to take their place and it is a heavy burden for him to accept.

"Bella my dear, what necessitated the ringing of the bell?" Romain asked me quietly and I stood to deliver the news,

As expected there was lots of annoyance, fear and general panic. I explained they were animal drinkers and this caused Jessica to be totally outraged,

"They're not killing my babies! I won't have it, do you hear me? Shelley, you're our best potion designer, can't you make one for them?" she said barely holding back her sobs.

As I said before, balance and harmony was the way around here. Jess had the animals all working together. Only the old and infirm were culled by predators and in exchange, they gave protection from wandering scavengers. Introducing a group of vampires would devastate our forest's equilibrium and thus affect us all. We collected important herbs, plants and even animal droppings for many uses.

No the Cullen's could not hunt here! Therefore, it was decided, we would pretend to be human and the Quileutes would have to deal with then first. They could reaffirm their treaty, tell them we had a devastating blight that killed all the animals and they should hunt in Canada for the duration of their stay. Meanwhile, we would protect the forest with magic making it seem like there was little or no life left.

We'd leave the insects, rodents and the birds alone, having it look like life was slowly returning to the area. Jessica was appeased and dragged Ben and Tyler away, Tyler was an illusion caster and could make the place look decimated. Meanwhile, we would have to equip the hospital, over the years we have used the things sent for other purposes. Just reordering the bare minimum.

Forks was apparently the safest place in Washington to live! Due to the lack of accident's or illnesses here. It was not hard to get sorted, a few quick spells and there you have it, one fully functioning hospital. The staff would be the problem. All the healers of every kind were co-opted into working there. Mostly it would all be an elaborate illusion.

If the doctor worked it out we would revise our plans, it was his coven we were most worried about. We knew from the tribe's records there was five last time, now they were seven. I had considered making it to sunny for them here but thought better of it. However, I had another little trick up my sleeve, if they were gifted as many vampires were; they'd be in for a shock.

I would put a shield around their mind so it would not work within the boundaries of Forks or La Push. Where it came from or why I have it is a mystery, but dad thinks maybe far back on moms side there was magic once. But it must have died out when no one acknowledged or us it; of course, if you didn't live amongst supernaturals how would you know it was there.

**TCHBTE**

The night before they are supposed to arrive in town, the Cullens are meeting with the pack and the Elders of the tribe. Dad and I are there under my shield and I am going to shield all their minds until we know who has a gift. So as they arrive at the treaty line first I work my magic and then the Quileutes arrive and there is panic on the faces of two of the Cullen's and mild irritation on a third one.

We listen carefully to their conversation, dad can manipulate the sound to be louder inside my shield and we hear what they sat even at the speed they are talking.

"I can't hear anyone's thoughts Carlisle, not even the family!" One boy said, looking for the entire world as if he's constipated as he tries to hear something around him,

"Hot damn! Can we live here forever?" asks another big brawny one, he was slapped upside the head for that, by a blonde Amazon of a woman.

"I'm sorry Emmett, you know I can't help it!" the young one says and he looks a little happier, even while being contrite to the Emmett guy,

"I know bro, I was joking" the big one Emmett tells him clapping him on the back and moving a few inches, wow, he's strong.

"Alice?" the one called Carlisle says to a tiny little female,

"Nothing! I see nothing! It's all gone! The future is gone! I'm blind!" she whines, looking totally panicked, they seem to rely heavily on these gifts and she doesn't look blind to us.

"Jasper?" The doctor now asks,

"Wow! Can't feel a damn thing and it's awesome! Nobody's feelin's but mine in here, dang!" The blonde obviously southern one answers and he at least seems very happy about it.

Nobody else is asked so we guess it's just those three, but I leave it in place for now anyway. Better to be safe than sorry! They very quickly ratify the treaty with the Elders, adding Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen to the list they already have of Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale. The one called Jasper does not look happy about the name that is given, so I'm guessing it's an alias!

"Chief Black, can you tell us what has happened to the forest and surrounding lands?" Carlisle asked,

"We were struck by a severe blight a couple of years ago and only now is the land repairing itself. Might we suggest hunting further afield, perhaps Canada, the land couldn't cope with any more loss at present!" Chief William Black replied and they agreed to that easily,

As they leave the little female Alice, is attempting to clutch onto the one called Jasper's arm,

"Get a grip Alice!" he says shaking her off fiercely.

"But Jazzie, I've lost my gift!" she moans trying to grasp his arm again, wow someone can't take a telling,

"So have I, so has Edward, do you see us whinin' like a two-year-old?" he growls at her.

"But mine is more impo...!" she starts to say and stops herself but not quickly enough,

"**Important!** Was that what you were goin' to say Mary-Alice? Yeah, well without it you are pretty useless now! Just a one-trick wonder. I at least can fight and am still able to be of use to the family!" he spits at her and moves over to the big guy and the Amazon.

"Alice, that was uncalled for! Do you hear either of you're brother's complaining? No! Now apologise at once" A motherly woman beside the doctor said in a stern voice,

"I'm sorry Jazzie, you to Edward!" she says but obviously doesn't mean it at all, there's something going on there.

They are now out of our hearing range and I sigh, feelings of relief flood from me and the blonde guy turns and looks back. He shakes his head and catches up to the others. Dad looks at me and I shrug, nobody can sense or hear us under my shield! We head down to La Push to talk to Billy the Chief and the other Elders and see what they made of the exchange.

Now that their gifts are offline so to speak, we can go about the business of pretending to be human. But there seems to be some strange dynamic going on there. That girl, Alice she seems to think she's more important than the other two gifted ones. The empath and the mind reader don't seem that upset, confused maybe. In fact, they both seemed really happy for the break if nothing else.

**TCHBTE**

"Damn it, dad, I'm going to be late! What kind of alarm clock was that? It barely whispered to me!" I rant as I run around trying to get ready.

I was on my fourth outfit, what the hell do teenagers wear anyway? I eventually settled for skinny jeans and a short leather jacket over a band tee Angela left here. Black leather boots finished off my get up and I looked good enough. I don't usually care what I look like, but felt the need to make an effort today. I was still upset about last night, while at the rez we found out Embry had phased.

So now he's a wolf I thought that would be it! But oh no! He imprinted all right, on Leah and not me! So it's back to the drawing board for me, at least I know it's not Mike Newton or Austin Marks! They're nice guys, but both wizards so not technically supernatural in that sense and Austin is married to Jess anyway. It can't be any of the mere guys, because their names are unpronounceable to us and it wouldn't work. Hell, I can barely swim! There just isn't anyone else I can think of.

Dad was all for getting Mike to conjuring up some old truck for me to go to school in! Hell no! I insisted on a motorbike, I'm going for an edgy vibe here! At least I think that's what I'm doing! So I dash out the door and drive to school, just making it for the bell. Homeroom was boring, we all just looked at each other not sure what we should be doing.

"Everyone! My house tonight, we need to watch some human teen movies," Lauren said after signalling me to shield us all and we agreed,

I have biology next and walked there with Eric Yorke, he is a time manipulator! As in he can literally freeze everyone in place and then touch you to unfreeze you its awesome. He can also revere time by a few minutes; it's getting longer as he ages though.

"Ah, Bella, why don't you sit beside Edward? He's new and you can show him the ropes," Bob Banner says to me smiling, he's a herbalist wizard so looks like we'll be doing plant-based stuff this term,

I see the young boy from last night and he's smiling to himself. In fact, he almost looks high, could, not having his gift be making him euphoric? I suppose, not hearing everyone's every thought might have that reaction. As I pass the fan by Bob's desk, everything changes! His eyes go black and he jumps up to rush at me.

"Eric, freeze!" I yell just in time,

* * *

**Reminder who does what**

**Alina Octaff** \- Ward spell caster **Angela Cheney** \- Mystic healer **Austin Marks** \- Transmutation

**Bella Swan** \- Elemental **Ben Cheney** \- Protection spell caster **Bob banner** \- Herbalist

**Charlie Swan** \- Memory manipulator **Eric Yorke** \- Time manipulator **Jessica Marks** \- Zoologist

**Lauren Crowley** \- Transmutation **Mike Newton **\- Conjurer **Romain Octaff** \- Protection spell caster

**Shelley Cope** \- Potions & Draughts **Tyler Crowley** \- Illusionist

* * *

**Swein (Norse) -** Servant

**Jord** or Old Norse **Jörð** (pronounced "YORD;", "Earth") is an obscure and seldom-mentioned giantess and goddess in Norse mythology. She plays no active part in the tales whatsoever and is referenced only in passing as being the mother of **Thor** and as being the daughter of **Nótt **("Night") and **Anarr** ("Another").

**Hey Presto! (British) - **A phrase announcing the successful completion of a trick, or to suggest that something has been done so easily that it seems to be magic. Possibly the 1700's.


	2. He Feels The Feels, But Why?

"What the hell Bella! I thought these vamps were veggies?" Eric says as he releases me.

"They are. He was fine until I walked in front of that fan! My blood must be doing something to him. Rewind until we walk down the corridor and tell me to shield myself, okay?" I say knowing I won't remember anything,

So we do it all again, Eric explains what happened and I make a note to read up on that phenomenon and this time Edward stays in his seat and is still smiling happily to himself. When I go to sit, he says,

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen" and I nod before telling him my name.

Bob Banner has done his homework unlike the rest of us and we actually do a real class. The phases of mitosis or something like that! Edward seems to know this shit so I smile and say,

"Have at it buddy, I haven't got a clue!"

It doesn't take him long to write out the answers in lovely copperplate writing. I would have thought anyone trying to blend in would have attempted to dumb down a bit!

"Bella, Edward, have you finished already?" Bob asks and I smile,

"He's a whizz kid, Mr B, I didn't know one end from the other!" I said and he shook his head.

The day went quite quickly and lunch was a scream. Having to queue and eat weird looking human food had some people looking a little pasty. Tomorrow I think maybe they should magic our stuff to look like human food, but only to the Cullens and because they won't taste it they will never know the difference. I'll suggest it to dad tonight; otherwise, Julie Hammond will be inundated with patients wanting to see the school nurse.

She's not that kind of healer; really she's more of a spell reverser or spell remover witch. Everyone thought it would be safer to have her in the school than at the hospital, just in case, someone lost control. By the end of the day, I was tired, hungry and desperate to get home, before we all headed over to Lauren's place. I think I'll start packing my own lunch, they do that, humans don't they?

"You okay darlin'?" A southern accent asked me,

I knew it was one of them, okay I knew it was him Jasper Hale or Cullen or whatever his real name was,

"Just tired, didn't sleep to well last night" I lied, not knowing what to say.

"You just feel a little down," he said walking away, mumbling to himself,

How does he know how I feel, I've got my shield up and his power is blocked? I need to speak to dad about this, like yesterday! I've got serious trouble if he can. But how can he feel my emotions and no one else's? That doesn't make any sense. So that glance back last night must have been him feeling my relief. Plus that was a close shave with the younger one Edward; I'll seriously have to read up on that phenomenon.

These Cullens are going to be trouble I can feel it in my bones and so to can Jasper whatever his name is, apparently! I realise how ridiculous that sounds and start to giggle, but there is a touch of hysteria in it and I stop, looking around panicked to see if he's there. Thankfully I'm alone and I gather my thinks climb on my bike and head out. He was watching me as I drove past them and damn did he just wink at me?

Dad seems awfully calm about all this, says maybe he just saw how I looked and connected how it should feel to him normally. Like compensating for his missing gift, or maybe a residual sense that will go in time. I'm not so sure, but as he says only time will tell. I whip up a quick meal for dad and me to stave off that hunger I'd been feeling and changed into something else.

Waving my hand at the room, to put everything back where it should be I decide to walk over to Laurens instead of teleporting. We are having to dial back on the use of magic because they are fast and could see something they shouldn't before we're aware. It's time to get over there and do some homework on how to be fully human, oh, joy!

"Okay everyone, I've got a few but don't know if any are really going to help us," Laurens says shaking her head,

In front of her are several CDs and a player we got Mike to conjure up, he's doing the same for the boys. This is stuff we don't normally use but hey, we need help here. She's got,

**Mean girls - Juno - Clueless - Sixteen candles - The breakfast club **

"I've ignored any with magic and I don't think musicals will help much either! It might freak them out if we all broke into song every couple of minutes!" We all laughed at that; yeah we were weird enough without that,

"So let's get started, first we need to be in our nightwear. They call this a slumber party or a sleepover, but you try not to sleep! Next, we need lots of sweets and snacks to eat while we watch" she said wiggling her fingers ay us and we were all now in pyjamas and fluffy slippers,

Well thank goodness they aren't pink, I thought as I looked at my new purple get up. We all can do basic magic but everyone has a speciality as it were. Lauren can turn anything into something else; therefore our normal clothes now look like pyjamas, otherwise known as transmutation. Whereas with Mike he can conjure anything you want out of thin air.

They guys were all next door at Jess and Austin's house watching movies as well, though I doubt they will be any help either because their movies are really guy orientated.

**Ferris Bueller's day off - The breakfast club - Risky business - American pie - Karate kid**

"That's it human girls are plain weird! I can't believe we're meant to act like that? Now I've saved this one till last, it's a new vampire teen movie; I thought that might be apt. Who wants to see it?" Lauren asks and well in for a penny and all that.

So we settled in to watch the strangest, most unbelievable thing I've ever seen!

**TCHBTE**

Meanwhile, at the Cullen house, a strange conversation was taking place,

"So how did your first day go?" Esme Cullen asked her children, who weren't hers or children,

"Well...!" Edward said,

"It was...!" Rose added, also leaving her sentence unfinished.

"It was crazy, no it was brilliant Esme. The kids are all weird, the teachers don't know anything about what they're teaching and everyone took one look at lunch and turned green! Like I said brilliant!" Emmett said happily flopping down in front of his new games console,

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other confused. He had yet to start at the hospital or he might have understood.

"All the teachers?" Esme squeaked,

"No the biology teacher was fine, a little dated but fine" Edward assured her.

"The Spanish teacher looks to be okay, she stopped me in the corridor and we have her tomorrow so it should be fine," Jasper said, totally distracted by the knowledge he could feel one person in the towns emotions,

"They all have no dress sense what so ever! They were even sticking together, Jocks, Nerds and Goths all hanging around with each other. It's not right, it's not normal!" Alice said almost hyperventilating with the lack of school hierarchy displayed today.

"How would you, a vampire know what's normal for this town?" Rose sneered at her; Alice without her all-seeing visions was beginning to annoy them all,

Had she always been this whiny? This bossy? This irritating? Yes, she had and they didn't like that she's been running their lives for so long by her standards.

"Oh, by the way, Alice, I'm dressin' myself tomorrow!" Jasper said leaving for his study to think,

"**ME TOO**" the other's all shouted at the same time.

"You can't, I've seen..." she started to say,

"**Liar!"** Rose yelled and she too left the room.

"Alice has your gift returned?" Carlisle asked,

"No!" she said sullenly.

"Then why did you say you'd seen something? Do you always just make it up when you don't?" Esme asked her voice ice cold in demeanour,

"I..., I..., not always," Alice said rushing out of the room, realising she'd outed herself.

Carlisle and Esme just looked at each other totally bewildered. What was going on in this town, the family had lost their gifts after arriving, the people were behaving strangely and Alice was showing herself up to be a not so nice young lady. Maybe tomorrow would be better, Carlisle was starting at the hospital and Esme intended to go into town shopping.

They couldn't help but see how much happier Edward was, Emmett too. Jasper seemed so much more relaxed, a little distracted but really relaxed. Rose seemed less bristly too, now that Edward wasn't in her head twenty-four seven. It was becoming apparent that forcing them all to live cheek and jowl in the same house was actually cruel. But letting Alice have free reign now proved to have been a mistake.

This move was becoming an eye-opener for them all. Without their gifts, two of the three had become happier. The strain between Edward and his siblings had lessened, now he couldn't hear their constant thoughts about things he knew nothing therefore disliked. In fact nobody had seen him smile so much and was that him whistling a new tune. He hadn't composed for years, finding it hard to concentrate around all their thoughts.

**TCHBTE**

The following day goes much the same, we look more like teenagers and try to not react weirdly to whatever is happening in our classes but the Cullens are all giving us strange looks. Go figure that the vampires would be more knowledgeable than us, we took note of the way high school cliques were formed and tried to adhere to them.

Even with humans amongst us we still don't have a clue, because they hadn't had to act normal in years. Plus the married couples are having difficulty ignoring each other or staying away from one another, this was all going to blow up in our faces I mused. Alice Cullen has decided for some reason my sense of style is not to her liking.

Why me, because she's been at me all morning, she's been suggesting, no, telling me about things I wouldn't be seen dead in! Pun intended,

"Alice..., Alice...!" I keep repeating her name but nothing shuts her up when she's on a roll obviously, I was this close to blowing her up. I could feel the fire building on my fingertips.

Jeez, who made her in charge of fashion in Forks, not me? I let rip with an ear-piercing whistle and she drops to the ground clutching her head. Her superior hearing making it unbearable for her.

"No! No! **NO**!" I say with barely restrained anger,

"But you must, I've seen it..." she starts to say when Edward hisses and drags her away saying,

"Sorry Bella, Alice has no understanding of boundaries, free will or personal space. She also has a tendency to make stuff up please just ignore her" he was hissing at her angrily as he pulled her away.

Then he did the damnedest thing he sniffed her hand which had grabbed my arm, shit she's got my scent on her. He looked around wildly before rushing himself as well as her outside. He was pulling out his cell at the same time and we all looked at each other. Good luck with that, phones don't work so well here. That's why we have landlines when needed.

"Well, she better learn quickly around here. We don't like strangers interfering where they have no business!" Lauren says from my side, the others are all around me nodding.

I see Jasper out the corner of my eye lounging against a pillar with a wicked grin on his face. He looks happy to see her being taken down a peg or two. I can see him much more clearly than a normal human would and wow, he's covered in scars. They don't frighten me, but you've got to wonder how he got them. We've heard of the Southern Vampire Wars and with his accent, I'm putting two and two together here.

Time for another little trip to the archives I think, so what do I know so far?

Texan - Check, Fighter - Check, Empath - Check,

Yeah, that should be enough. Shit, he's looking at me funny, I better get moving. Where the hell am I supposed to be? Oh yeah, Spanish. We can all speak Latin; we can all speak Quileute, some have even mastered the Mer tongue, but Spanish nope, not so hot. But it looks like they can, the Cullens I mean. We're in a mixed junior & senior class and they all speak it well enough if accented with where they were originally from.

But he, Jasper speaks it fluently and our pretend Spanish teacher, who's actually a diviner, like a tracker of anything, Ms Hernandez looks all aflutter. Mia Hernandez is a woman who looks thirty but is really one hundred and fifty-six years old. She can find anything anywhere just by touch. Like f she's looking for water if she touches a tree she can trace its water source.

On the other hand, she can find lost items by touching your hand and tracing it back to the last place you had it. But she can also trace magical bloodlines, by having a family touch each other and then her she by holding hands. She sees all the branches, breaks and side shoots. That's why she always wears gloves, so as not to read you without consent. I really should ask her about my shield one day, see if dad's right and it was a latent magic in Renee's family tree.

It's all in Jasper's cadence and rhythm of speech, it flows out of his mouth like honey and everyone is agog. Good heavens, that man has charisma, no use pretending he's a boy, because, he most certainly is not! How did human in other places believe they were high school age? As all the women and a couple of the guys heave a sigh when he stops talking,

I notice two things. Both Alice and I are pissed, her I understand, but why me? Also, he's staring at me in a knowing way; I don't care what dad says he senses my emotions! I try to strengthen my shield against him and he quirks an eyebrow, nope not working.

"Jazzie, Jazzie I'm talking to you!" Alice whines, trying to get his attention off of me,

"My name is Jasper, Mary-Alice. If you want an answer, use it" he says with a very low growl,

But while the other members of his family flinch, I'm intrigued. There is a darker side to him, I sense it now too. All everyone else got was her name and from now on we would be calling her Mary-Alice, why because it blatantly annoys her and since she has done nothing but be rude and annoying to us, why not? Looks like we've got the high school thing cracked after all.

Lunch was a better today, they didn't eat what they picked and we got what we wanted. I still brought mine from home as I needed high energy stuff to keep my shield up against Edward and over them to nullify their gifts. I decided it was pointless continually strengthening the one over Jasper as it didn't work anyway and he seemed happy to be only feeling mine and his own emotions.

"Damn, nobody turned green today," Emmett said quite disappointed,

"Well, I hate it here and I'm telling Carlisle we need to leave!" Alice said dropping down in her seat,

"Well we like it, so go if you want to, nobody's gonna stop you" Jasper drawled and the others nodded.

"No, we all need to go something is very wrong here" she snaps at them,

"The only thing wrong here is you Mary-Alice! Get over yourself" Rose spat and they all turned away from her.

This is not good if she leaves her gift will return and who knows what she'll do or say! No, she cannot leave just yet. We'll have to get dad to either memory charm her or Romain has to talk to Dr Cullen. Looks like I need to sneak out for a little while, thank god it's lunch. I head to the office to tell them I need to see the archives urgently. Shelley Cope is having a field day in there; the place looks like a bomb hit it.

"Hello dear, there's a message for you. A man phoned half an hour ago and he said, hell, here listen to it yourself, it was quite odd really. Almost like he knew something strange was going on here" she said replaying the message for me.

**'Hello, would you please tell Miss Swan, no tell Bella to please not hurt my brother, he's the only one I have! The pixie bitch she can do what she likes with. My wife and I are on our way, tell her don't do anythin' rash suga'. The others would love to stay. Oh, yeah, I'm Peter Whitlock'**

There it was again, I knew that name from somewhere. It was most definitely time to hit the archives; I've read so much over the years it's hard to keep it all straight. What did he mean don't hurt my brother? He's not the problem here; well he's mine but nobody else's so far. Guess this unknown guy doesn't really like Mary-Alice much either. Did he know that she, Bella could be a danger to them, especially her control of fire?

His voice indicated he too was a vampire, so one with a gift obviously! What did he mean they'd love to stay, here in Forks, permanently? I suggest to Shelley that the school should close early for a teachers meeting, a fire drill or something like that. It didn't matter but we all needed to get out of here sooner rather than later. I needed to call another meeting; Eric would have to freeze the Cullens too.

**TCHBTE**

At the hospital Carlisle was in a state of shock, there were no serious cases. The ICU was empty, the maternity wing was empty. He knew it was a small town, but no illness, no pregnancies that was unheard of. The staff were, well, in a word, bizarre. The wandered about looking lost and confused as if they had no idea where to go or what to do! This place was not normal at all.

They looked at the equipment as if they had no idea what it was or what it did. Where others might not have noticed, he saw many discrepancies in their clothes. The normal hierarchy was not in place, similar to the school he thought. One woman seemed to be more important than the others and she was the receptionist, Alina Octaff.

Retreating to his new office Carlisle set about thinking over the whole day so far. First, he realised they knew what he was because no one had reacted to his cold touch as they shook hands. Nobody had kept their distance as is normal and several people had been watching him with undisguised interest. Then used his superior hearing to listen to any conversations taking place and boy was that enlightening.

_**"Alina, do you think he noticed anything?" asked an unknown man in such a low voice, Carlisle strained to hear him,**_

_**"No, well, I don't think so Shaman Ateara. But he's a smart man, we need to be careful!" she replied, just as quietly,**_

_**"Okay, for safety sake let him treat any minor injuries that aren't obviously, your people's related illnesses. Send the serious to me at the reservation and any needing reversal or removal to the school for Julie to deal with. Maybe they'll get bored and leave" Shaman Ateara, otherwise known as Old Quill said,**_

_**"Yes Bella's worried, she is doing more research in the archives and says that Alice girl is becoming a problem," Alina told him,**_

_**"Charlie, told me about her near-miss with the youngest one, Edward yesterday. Drawn to her blood apparently, but only hers! I know they are supernatural like us, but the last thing Forks needed was vampires!" he replied in a whisper.**_

Carlisle was stunned; he knew exactly what was going on now. No wonder they always felt drawn back to Forks, it was a supernatural community. Every time they moved its name came up first. But what kind of supernaturals? He knew about the Quileute wolves from before, but what else was here? Something strong enough to block the gifts of his family and stop Edward attacking his singer. Of course, magic!

This was wonderful; it meant they never needed to leave ever again. A permanent home, Esme would be delighted, she loved it here, in fact, everyone but Alice did. So what to do about her, hmmm! Over the years Carlisle had learned many things and knew that there were many types of supernaturals and others in his world. Edward refused to believe this of course, but now here, at last, was proof positive. Time for a family meeting, then meeting the leaders of the Forks community.

**TCHBTE**

"Peter Whitlock" Bella murmured to the wall of books before her and several rattled but only two leapt forward and opened. One was the supernatural index; it listed all known persons no matter the species. Due to its magical properties, it updated itself on a daily, no hourly basis.

_**Peter Whitlock, real surname unknown. (Known as) Captain Whitlock. Human drinking Vampire mated to Charlotte. Sired **__**in Texas**__** by The Major in 1892 at age 23 during the **__**Garza Revolution **__**to fight in the Southern Vampire Wars**__**. Escaped his coven with his mate after 48 years, due to his sire's help in 1939 and is now semi-nomadic. Undefined cognitive ability, explained by himself as 'I know shit!'**_

The second book that opened was one on covens and it made for so frightening and graphic reading. Bella's eyes kept returning to two words on the page, **The Major. **Her skin prickled and her senses knew it meant something important, something to do with her. Snapping her fingers at these two, they returned back in place.

"The Major" she barely whispered and the archives practically shook as book after book threw itself open before her.

_**Major Jasper Whitlock - (Known as) Jasper Whitlock -The Major - The God of War. (Known Aliases) Jasper Cullen - Jasper Hale. Animal drinking vampire, no mate. Sired in Texas by Maria in 1863 at age 19 during the American Civil War to fight in the Southern Vampire Wars. Escaped his coven and certain death after 80 years, with the help of Peter Whitlock in 1943. Semi-nomadic until joining the Cullen or Olympic coven in 1952. The defined ability of Pathokinesis or Empathy. He can both feel and manipulate the emotions of those around him. **_

Surrounded by a sea of books, books he had written, books that mentioned his heroic deeds as a human, books that detailed his alter-ego's many deeds good and bad. His name was mention in passing in some, others spoke of him directly, and some were from hearsay about him. But one thing stood out to Bella, this was a man many feared, whilst holding him in awe. Just as many spoke of him with respect, friendship and faint hero-worship.

Bella snapped her fingers and all the books disappeared once again. One phrase was running around in her head, one from so many years ago. Bella shuddered as she remembered that night,

_**"He will be supernatural, not like you at all and 'M' was an important letter in his life!"**_

* * *

**Reminder who does what**

**Julie Hammond** \- Spell removal Healer

**Mia Hernandez **\- Divining/finder

* * *

**Garza Revolution****between Texas and Mexico (1891–1893)**

**Thanks to Idreamofeddy for her brilliant creations, making good characters great.**


	3. Well, This Has Been A Strange Day

Not often did awfully much faze Esme Cullen, she looked after five teenage vampires on a day to day basis after all. But she just couldn't seem to initially grasp what was right in front of her eyes today, well, at first. The town of Forks was beautiful, strange and idyllic. The first thing she realised was it had no supermarket or small convenience stores of any kind. It had many exotic and unusual one-off shops though.

In fact, the whole place looked like something out of a dream. The kind of dream a young, impressionable Esme Platt might have once had. Little did she know that was her answer, she was seeing exactly what she imagined she should. Each one of the Cullens would see something to their liking and not what each other saw. This illusion was tailored just for her alone. This was a mistake on the magical community's part. They really should have picked one thing and shown it to them all.

There were little shops selling fabric and others selling antiques. She could see all kinds of things she'd need to renovate the Forks house and then some. But what really caught her eye was a display in a window for the sheerest of fabrics, delicate as gossamer wings. It was almost perfect if only it had been in green and then it was. She was stunned for a second and then the extremely pragmatic Esme Cullen, pulled up her big girl pants.

Without so much as a twitch, Esme moved on and then tried that again and again, each time the item changed to be what she wanted it to be. Carlisle had told her often that there were other supernaturals in their world but never having met any she really didn't accept it, not that she disbelieved her mate. But she was nothing but open to it now, sitting on a bench she smiled serenely to anyone who passed by.

So if this is an illusion she thought how do I make it stop? In her mind, Esme whispered "I want to see the truth' and there it was, the best way to break an illusion, is to know it is one. Forks was no less beautiful, just more. Well, more everything, it was magical she thought. The crowning glory was the little pond in the centre of town.

Around the edge sat several beings, some human others clearly not. Whilst in the water children splashed about, children with tails, tails like in the old storybooks she'd seen. They were all real, as real as she was. Right there in the centre of town, Esme decided she was staying, she was never leaving here. A place at last where they could be themselves, no pretence, no hiding.

This was as close to heaven as vampires would ever get, she decided. Not wanting anyone to guess she knew what was happening Esme opened a door of what had been an antique shop and asked for directions to the hospital.

"My husband forgot his lunch, so I thought I'd take it to him," she said and rolled her eyes as if to say, men!

**TCHBTE**

"This is much harder than I thought. It's so easy to fool the humans; they don't look to close by nature. But vampires see so much more" Tyler said flopping down beside his wife Lauren.

"We're all feeling the strain Ty, Bella says with her shield up she sees some flaws. I'm just going to recheck some of my Trans before we head to the meeting" she replied sounding quite tired,

"Yeah, Eric has snuck off to freeze the Cullens so none of them catches on. I'll come with you and reinforce my illusions too" he said kissing her cheek before getting up and holding out his hand.

The magical community were beginning to see they had grown lax and a little slapdash over the years. Their spells and wards, illusions and transmutations weren't standing up so well against the vampires as they should. Lauren felt it might be good to have everyone do some retraining, she would mention it at the meeting. As Eric arrived by transporting, the meeting of the magical community commenced. Many smaller issues were dealt with first; Lauren added her plea for retraining.

It was agreed that they had allowed their abilities to become weak and less effective and this was a wake-up call. The people were divided on should the Cullens stay or go, should they know or not about the supernatural presence here. Bella mentioned the two Whitlocks coming and you'd have thought she'd invited them herself, by the way, everyone was ranting on at her. Romain got to his feet and silenced everyone,

"We have no right to send any of them away, they too are supernaturals. We will not be allowing memory charm usage on mass! You all seem to forget, we are not the only group here in Forks. We are not the elite, just one of many and they too must have their say in how we all proceed.

So in three days, a full Forks council will be held at the pond, the Mer, the Quileutes and all other fey will be attending. Bella if this Peter Whitlock knows what going on here, invite them too. Maybe they can help us with making a decision about the Cullens" Romain said nodding to her,

"Me, why me?" she asked unhappily.

"He made direct contact with you specifically, my dear. So you are now our vampire liaison" he smiled at her as he said this before he continued saying,

"Those of you who are advocating radical, magical enforcement need to take a hard look at yourselves. Hiding ourselves was a temporary solution until we determined their status; we will not be refusing anyone from the light, the right to live here. That is the path to the other side, this is why the fey are separated into dark and light, are you perhaps on the wrong side?

Maybe it is you and not they who need to leave!" he said with much disdain in his voice and many heads dropped.

**TCHBTE**

After the meeting was closed, Bella quickly transported herself away up into the mountains, she had much to think about. Could it be possible he **the Major**, was her intended life partner, her mate! She was conflicted, confused and just a little angry at fate. What did this mean for her, would she be able to stay semi-immortal? Would she become a vampire? What did that mean for her powers? Would she turn to the dark?

It all spun around and around in her head faster and faster, needing to get out so she could think straight. Without really noticing Bella was throwing lightning bolts at the rocks near to her and thunder could be heard in the distance. As the boulders disintegrated into little puffs of dust, Bella heard a throat clearing behind her.

She swung around quickly releasing a bolt of lightning which exploded a tree next to the man who stood there.

"Hey suga' that's no way to treat you future brother-in-law!" he said with no little awe in his voice,

"Why me? How can I be mated to a vampire? I'm a witch, we don't mix well! This will be a disaster, I know it!" Bella whined, more to herself than him.

"What you see isn't the real him, neither is what you read in those books. He's a good man and everythin' will be fine, you have to trust me on that sweet cheeks!" he told her smiling,

"How'd you know that?" Bella quizzed him directly now.

"I just know shit! So you need to bring out the real him, by bein' yourself. Not the Major or Jasper Hale, but Jasper Whitlock! Then everythin' will be fine. Trust me, trust yourself. But you all have to do somethin' about Alice. She's the loose cannon in this scenario!" he said now sitting on the only boulder for miles,

"You're Peter I take it and the lovely lady hanging back in the trees? Your mate Charlotte I presume?" Bella said now freezing the rain that had started and made it snow all around them.

"Yup, right on both counts! Any idea where we can stay suga'? The Cullens don't like us much; I think it's the diet or the clothes, maybe the accent. Who knows?" Peter said not sounding the least put out,

"More like the attitude! Hello Bella, I'm Charlotte, but please call me Char" the beautiful blonde said as she came up beside them both.

"Hi Char, I can't think of a place off hand Peter, but give me two minutes since I've made a clearing anyway," Bella said before disappearing and then reappearing with a disgruntled Mike by her side,

"Just give us a small two bedroomed log cabin Mike! You can do that in your sleep. By the way, this is Peter and Charlotte Whitlock" Bella said as she pointed to them and Mike grimaced in their direction.

"Okay, jeez Bella! You do know it's date night? I'm taking that little red-headed

fairy to the waterfall tonight, so what and where?" he said agitated,

"Cabin here, two bedrooms," Bella said spreading her arms wide.

"You guys don't need plumbing, do you? I can rustle up a magic shower if you'd like" Mike said getting into it now,

Peter and Char stood bemused as quicker than even they could do it, a small but comfortable cabin appeared out of thin air.

"Okay, everything works by just saying on or off. We did away with all the old Latin spells, too laborious! Right I'm off, hot date well I hope so" Mike said before he disappeared again,

Once they'd settled into the cosy little cottage, Bella explained about the meeting and asked them to come. Explaining that the council would like their opinion on the trustworthiness of the Cullens and Peter laughed hard, then stopped and burst out laughing again.

"Their lives in my hands! The irony of it, jeez I wish I could see their faces when they find out" Peter sniggered,

"The good doctor is a tad condescendin' about our diet! Edward is a snob and thinks us below him intellectually and Alice thinks we're one step up from hillbillies or is it down!" Char explained to Bella, who had a disgusted frown on her face.

"That's a bit patronizing, we treat everyone equally here, we have to because we're all so different and aren't they the anomalies in your world?" she asked less than amused by this bit of information.

**TCHBTE**

The next morning was Saturday and Alice decided she would venture into the town. She was convinced it would be so provincial that she would be disgusted. But to her immense pleasure, it was anything but, all her favourite shops were here. Unlike Esme, Alice couldn't see past the end of her own nose and never even thought Forks was anything but what she saw. Spending exorbitant amounts of money on unneeded items was what she did best.

Whist walking between two shops she was assailed by the most delightful of scents and could not help but followed it immediately. At the end of the trail, she found herself face to face with the most amazingly handsome young man. The pull of his scent was confusing her and without her sight, Alice assumed wrongly that this was her mate.

Without thinking about or asking for confirmation from her family, which would have been in the negative. She in true Alice fashion dove in headfirst or was that feet? Because this was her version of what Forks should be he was dressed in the most expensive of clothes and was watching her rapturously. In fact, he was watching her with mild interest, he was a fairly newly matured male merman who had very little control over his phenomenal pheromone pull.

He was looking to build a strong pod and she, this little vampire would be a feather in his cap. After all, he only had Rav or as the town call her Ralo, in his pod at present, his own father had had six Olni (females) in his besides his mother. He was wondering if Mar-Cln-Alic was going to be more bother than it was worth, it's not as if she could give him young. Alice was now already convinced she's mated to the man, unaware he was anything but human.

He had introduced himself as **H**ar-**A**ns-**N**iv-**K**arc, Hank to the local community. They spent hours talking and if Alice had been human and needed to move she might have noticed he never stood up in her presence. This, of course, was because he was really waist-deep in water. She had been drawn to the centre of town by his scent and was on the banks of the pond, as she talked to him.

He was unsure of this mating thing Mar-Cln-Alic talked of, they the Mer dealt in pheromones. If the person smelt good to you and complimented your own scent, then a match could be made and just as easily broken when either's scent changed. Alice has no idea, that having accepted Hank, only a scent change or death would free her. He is aware they cannot be together officially until after the town meeting, so he floods Alice's system with his scent almost like a drug, marking her as taken.

When she eventually manages to return home Carlisle is horrified. Everyone smells the scent on her and try hopelessly to explain to her the error of her ways, that it was not mating but an enthrallment place on her. Alice was not willing to admit she made a mistake decides she can deal with this her own way. She is still unaware Hank is not human.

**TCHBTE **

Edward was next to arrive in town, but unlike Alice, he didn't see anything special. He saw Forks, as it was, but it was deserted. The illusionists creating these alternate views were stumped, the boy had no imagination. Why, because Edward didn't believe in anything, not God, not magic, not the slightest possibility of any other life-forms. He didn't deviate from what was real to him for one second of any day, he would never have believed Carlisle's story about vampires, if not for his mind-reading ability.

He had to believe what he was hearing and seeing, he had to believe what he could do and feel. So yes he believed in vampires, but not much else. Well, humans, he knew they were real and little by little the full humans of Forks started to appear to him. The other's were just invisible to the shuttered mind of a very young Edward Cullen. His staunchly correct and proper view of the world left him blind to what could also be real.

Edward was the type of boy who had to be led by the hand and shown proof positive continually before he would even consider it might truly be fact. It was a sad truth, but one that didn't upset or bother him, because that was his life. He didn't feel he was missing out on anything, he'd seen the others daydreaming in the past and thought it was a waste of time and energy and far too insignificant for one as intelligent as him. The machinations of a weaker mind was how he truly saw it, not that he would say that to their faces.

So within half an hour of reaching town Edward turned around and headed back to the house. The only thing keeping him from siding with Alice about leaving was the peace and quiet. No longer hearing all of the thoughts around him was glorious, no more incessant thoughts of sex from Emmett, no more talk of fashion or cars or house renovations. No more war stories or medical dramas, just peace and his own thoughts about music.

This was the only part of Edward that was not rigid and straitlaced. His ability to write music, it just flowed from him, with no real thought or planning and that was the only part of him he let have free rein. Edward had never stopped to smell the Roses in life and although he couldn't miss what he'd never had, the others felt sorry for him because of it. He had stalled himself at such a young age and it would likely take a massive shock to jolt him free, maybe Forks would be the place.

**TCHBTE**

Jasper was the third vampire to enter Forks, but he unlike them was slowly beginning to see something is not normal about Forks, what he is unsure at present. Although he knows he should be worried he doesn't care. All that occupies his mind is Bella Swan. He to went into town, but he was hoping to see Bella, but unlike Esme and Alice his idea of a small town was of the Texan variety and that was his first clue all was not what it seemed. Saloons and horses at every turn made him stop for a moment and stare in wonder.

He soon realised this was his own hometown, but from a time before he was born, one he'd wished he'd seen with his own eyes. It had long since been swallowed up by Houston nowadays. but as a child, this was what he'd wanted to see on visits into town. He like Esme saw it was an illusion, but he was enjoying it too much to dispel it right away. Looking down at himself he smirked and watched as his clothes turned into those of a gunslinger. He was trying hard not to imagine bumping into Bella dressed as a saloon girl.

"Howdy stranger" came an all to familiar voice,

"Peter? What in tarnation are you doin' in my fantasy?" he asked, not really surprised to see his brother.

Over the many years since Jasper had changed him, Peter would appear whenever Jasper needed him. So did he need him now?

"Problems Captain?" he enquired tipping back the Stetson on his head slightly,

"Not exactly, I'm here as emotional back-up, not physical" was the cryptic reply.

Peter was decked out in the regulation outfit for the sheriff of the day and behind him, in a doorway, he could see Char, who was dressed as he'd imagined Bella earlier.

"Ma'am," he said sassily and she winked at him before linking arms with Peter,

"Little lady, you look mighty fine!" her husband told her before smacking her butt playfully.

"What's the chances of the whiskey actually tastin' as it should?" Peter asked raising his eyebrow,

"Pretty damned high since this is based on my dreams" Jasper said as they all strolled into a saloon and ordered the bartender to set up a round.

Not ones to miss a chance of some fun, they all played a few hands of poker, drank a few shots and even had a little dance, as Jasper played the piano. He was just as good, if not better than Edward, but much less of a show-off. As they strolled to the centre of town later, Jasper asked Peter if he knew what was going on around here.

"Yes and No! What do you think is happenin' Major?" Peter hedged,

"Well, it's supernatural, not the Quileutes though, the wrong kind of power! At first, I thought it was them blockin' my gift, well all three of our gifts. But then there's her, it has somethin' to do with her!" Jasper rambled as he mulled it over, "So it's got to be somethin' else and all I can guess is magic!" he finished off by saying.

"Alright, give that man a coconut! So this is all what?" Peter asked,

"An illusion to keep us distracted, but we come from different eras so they've bitten off more than they can chew. Man, I'd love to have seen Carlisle's town, seventeenth-century London. So why the subterfuge?" he said looking around thoughtfully,

" Because we're vampires and they need to know if we're good or bad! Because vampires are normally evil or at least bad and these people are obviously good and don't want wind of themselves gettin' back to Volterra!" Jasper said smiling at first, then it faded as a thought struck him.

"Damn! She's a witch, isn't she? So how can I feel her emotions and hers alone? Out of this whole town, I feel only her, why?" he asked himself distractedly,

"Oh! Oh no! Fuck!" Jasper groaned and spun to face his brother, "She's my mate!"

* * *

**Made up Mer language for this story**

There are no Y's, no E's or U's in their language, neither do they have double letters like in Cullen. So Alice would be **Mar-Cln-Alic-Olni **(Mary-Cullen-Alice-female)

Mer Males are **Karc**, females are **Olni**. **Ans** is his family surname, as is **Cln **for Alice.

Therefore Hank is **Har-Niv (first names) Ans (surname)** **Karc** **(male) **

Formal **Har-Ans-Niv**, informal **Har-Niv **very informal **Har**

**Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni** female in his pod


	4. Time To Vote

**A/n: Thanks guys 'We Can't' passed 30,000 hits xx traceybuie was the 100th reviewer for this story xx Alexis**

* * *

The Cullens were about to have a meeting of their own and were slightly bemused by Jasper arriving dressed as a cowboy from the old west. Esme smiled and nodded totally understanding, Edward was confused and Alice was too distracted with her own troubles to notice at first.

"What in God's name are you wearing Jasper?" Edward asked with minor distaste in his tone,

"Ah, the black a little much? What about blue or brown?" Jasper said changing the colour of his outfit at will.

"How are you doing that? I didn't see you move, you've never been that fast before!" Edward exclaimed now,

He was unable to understand what he was seeing even though it was right in front of his eyes. Esme was clapping her hands, which got Alice's attention at last, along with Emmett and Rose,

"Dude! Where'd you get the duds? Does this mean what I think it means?" Emmett quizzed slapping Jasper on the back, as he once more rotated through the colours.

"I believe it does Emmett, so in light of almost everyone working out what's going on in Forks, I'm calling a family meeting," Carlisle told them and he was smiling widely at Esme.

"What do you mean Carlisle? What is there to work out about this boring and mediocre town? The only reason I like it here is the silence it affords me. There is nothing to recommend this place; it's just like all the other places we have lived in!" Edward spouted not seeing the incredulous looks on most of his family's faces,

"I agree with Edward, granted there were some amazing shops. This place must be an outlet town though it's a strange place to have one! Still, apart from Hank, there is nothing much of interest to me here" Alice piped up and Jasper snorted,

"Is he the owner of that wet onerous smell that's hanging around here, what did you do, bathe in the depths of the ocean with him?" Jasper snarked and then caught Carlisle's sight nod,

This made him pause for a second before his eyes opened in disbelieve, Alice had gotten herself entangled with what they assumed by the smell, was a merman! Jesus was every supernatural real? Although Rose and Emmett had so far seen nothing they were fully able to comprehend what everyone else was telling them. The town was supernatural and magic was used widely here.

It made sense now why the school was so strange, why the other's gifts had stopped working. But it also helped to explain the missing hour's everyone had been suffering lately; someone was freezing them on and off. It explained how the forest seemed to be so badly affected close to the house and less so, further out. How when out running they had gone right out of the blighted area and then back into it like a glitch had occurred.

This town was not used to handling vampires that's for sure, they were to fast and saw more than was intended for them, processed it all quicker than there human or supernatural counterparts and reacted without showing their true intentions. By the end of the meeting Alice was horrified to think they thought her Hank was not human, how stupid, of course, he was human! She needed to convince him to leave this weird place with her as soon as possible.

Edward believed none of it and would have thought them all drugged but for the fact, drugs didn't work on vampires. It had to be something else, another vampire with the gift of illusion maybe, but with no scent either. He was grasping at straws rather than believe the truth, his world was changing radically and he didn't like it at all. Little did he know that very soon he would be so immersed in this world he would never want to leave or doubt his eyes ever again?

**TCHBTE**

It was a sorry bunch of witches and wizards that stood in front of the council of elders for the whole supernatural enclave that was Forks. They had failed to keep abreast of the vampires, there were too many they complained! They couldn't be everywhere at once the moaned! They couldn't help it that two were so dense the magic didn't work at all on one and too much on the other! It was a comedy of errors all around and the only person amused by it all was Peter Whitlock.

He, when called to speak told them, the Cullens wanted to stay in Forks, well all but two and he knew that was about to change very soon. He explained when dealing with vampires less is more! They had used too many different types of magic and forgot that each came from a different time, therefore, saw different things, so the town illusion had not worked at all or rather to well and they had also forgotten about free will.

Peter explained that not only had his brother Jasper worked out it was an illusion, but he changed it to suit himself. He had brought Peter and his mate into his illusion and then kept part of it going to show his family when he left. Peter clearly made the point, that if they had been dark Fae, the town would have been destroyed days ago! In fact, he told them, having Jasper there would actually deter others from ever coming here.

"How so Captain Whitlock?" Romain enquired, he had seen just what could happen to communities when dark Fae found them.

"Although he is not a dark vampire, he was changed by one; she lied to us all about the world beyond her control. Turnin' him into a weapon for her use, but he was and is a rare thing in the vampire world, Jasper has a conscience where others are concerned. Most are only interested in themselves or their coven.

It was he who let me and my mate escape, he who killed her newborns quickly and humanely. Takin' their pain and fear into himself every time, that's why I returned for him when I found out that we didn't need to live that way.

But the damage was done and he had become the vampire equivalent of the bogeyman. To this day he is the most feared vampire in our world, even our leaders, the Volturi fear him! So as long as he's here you will not be plagued by vampires out to make a name for themselves. I know the wolves usually take care of them for you all" Peter explained to the enthralled crowd,

"How do we know he won't draw them here to him?" Old Quill asked, his dislike of vampires evident in his tone,

"Fear, plain and simple! He's not like other vampires, we all have two sides he has three! I'm Peter the man and the Captain who is my beast, or my instinctual vampire side. Maria tortured Jasper repeatedly, which fractured his mind. He has a third part who emerged to protect both Jasper and the Major from her and that's who no other vampire wishes to meet! They call him 'The God of War'!" Peter concluded,

Bella was not surprised as she had seen all this from the books, but she was beyond angry and disgusted by what Maria had done to Jasper. Many of the other Fae gasped, they unlike the magics here had heard of this vampire, yes he was exactly what Peter said the bogeyman. The Mer and others travelled to other communities way more often than the magics, so they heard more about the outside world.

The further south you went the more that name was spoken in hushed tones, why? Because no one knew where he was! The most feared creature on the continent had disappeared and that had just enhanced his reputation, not quell it.

"So, is it safe to say, they know what we have been failing to hide? Will they all stay, because we cannot allow any of them to put us at risk?" Philistia, the leader of the nymphs asked,

"Only Alice appears to wish to leave," Peter said quietly with a smirk, knowing what was about to happen,

"She will not be a problem. My son Har, or as you all know him Hank has claimed her and she accepted him" Mel-Ans-Roc-Karc spoke up,

"Was she aware of that Mark? I don't wish to come over as rude, but that child appears to be a little dim!" Selente, the leader of the fairies asked and quite a few sniggers went around the group including Peter.

"I have to agree, I doubt very much that Alice knows what she has gotten herself into. She would only see him as he was in her illusion. A word of caution, she is motivated by two things her visions and money!

Greed and power are all that interest that Vampiress, granted she had very little ambition as power over her family has been enough all these years but do you really want her lordin' it over you all. Once she gets her visions back she will become unbearable, changin' everythin' to suit her and not your pods!" Peter said now and Mark looked horrified,

"He's right you know, she refuses to accept he's anythin' but human. Edward doesn't believe any of you exist and the rest of us want to stay, all for different reasons of course" said the disembodied voice of Jasper Whitlock.

"Hello, my brother! It didn't take you long to work out how to overcome part of the freezin' spell, I hear" Peter said laughing,

"Yeah, I just used the illusion from earlier and said I wanted to be in the centre of town and well so far my voice is all that made it but I can feel it loosenin' around me as we speak!" Jasper replied,

The witches and wizards were appalled that he could use their spells to help himself against them. Vampires truly were dangerous and different! Bella shivered as she almost felt him breathing down her neck.

"How?" was all she said,

"You!" he replied, "I honed in on you, the pull made it easy. You can feel it too, can't you darlin'?"

"Explain!" Charlie said loudly, annoyed that this was getting away from them all so easily,

"Your daughter, it would seem is my mate. I can feel her emotions even though she is shieldin' us all. I can sense her no matter where she is by the matin' pull. Even if she doesn't want me, I will never be able to leave her, without causin' myself pain or ever death!" Jasper said sadly and suddenly he was there beside her.

"Thank you darlin'," he told her,

Bella had reacted to the thought of him dying by moving her shield from outside his body to inside, around his mind. Thus protecting him from all magic, all mental threats of any kind. Then she transported him to her side, where she could protect him magically if not physically. She had reacted as a mate would and Jasper was thrilled, it felt to him that she was accepting their bond.

"I assume we now need to speak to the rest of the Cullens and see where we go from here!" Romain said, feeling all of his many years.

Charlie was much less interested in the Cullens than he was Major Jasper Whitlock. He was well aware of what it could mean for Bella. Somehow he didn't think Jasper would settle for his mate staying semi-immortal and ageing albeit slowly. Her being a witch was the biggest problem; he knew not all turned dark. Was that to do with their magic or the witch themselves? Were they all prepared to find out, but they had time, Bella only looked seventeen, at twenty-one she would be more his equal and that gave them forty years to find an answer!

Jasper could now feel Charlie's emotions and had a good idea where his mind was going, so he said,

"Sir, I know it's a dangerous dilemma, but we have time. There has to be something, somewhere that would help us? I'm happy to follow your lead for now, but if anything life-threatening happens then I will change her no matter the consequences!" he told Charlie and the Chief sighed,

"Thank you, that's a load off my mind. We start tomorrow, searching every clue. Bella, you asked the archives, ask it several times, change the wording so we miss nothing! I will locate others who were turned but didn't go dark. Jasper, you might have to speak to a couple who did, can you do that?" Charlie said getting the bit between his teeth.

Both the mates nodding looking at each other. If this was to work long term they needed to talk, and talk alone. They knew Charlie only had their best interests at heart, but they weren't a science project, but a newly mated young couple and they had yet to declare themselves.

"We will dad, but first we need a couple of days! I barely know Jasper or him me" Bella said now, her eyes never leaving Jasper.

Peter stepped forward and led Charlie away saying,

"Any dark witches needing talking too will be my job!"

"Why?" asked a confused Charlie,

"You may be her father Chief, but he's mine!" was all Peter said,

Bella felt a small rush of love and pride wash over her as it reached Peter and she squeezed Jasper's hand. They truly were close.

As the Cullens were once more released to go about their business, they knew what had happened and set off for the town. Rose and Emmett were looking at it all with new eyes. The people before them were like none they had seen before. It wasn't long before the fun-loving Emmett was testing out his speed and strength against the wolves. The young Mer males wanted to test his speed under the water and see how far he could dive. They were amazed to see him stand on the bottom of the pond without help and laughed at him just walking around as if on land.

Rose was enthralled by all the children, who were equally enthralled by her beauty. She played happily with them under their mother's watchful eyes or in the Mer children's case their fathers. Esme was chatting about architecture with some witches and Edward stood by Carlisle his eyes glued to Selente, twice he could have sworn he saw wings fluttering behind her, but that couldn't be right.

She was smiling to herself as they all talked seriously about the future now that the Cullens wanted to stay. Carlisle explained how they had always coped with supposedly ageing in the past, how they forged their own documents that always fooled the humans. That he really was a doctor and would be happy to help in any way he could that was non-magical, of course. Alice was to say the least displeased, the Merman she thought was human earlier was wearing, to her eyes rags.

**TCHBTE**

"Where is your lovely suit, Hank? You're hardly dressed for company! I expect a better standard than this from you" she raved and everyone around her just stared or rolled their eyes,

"What are you trying to say Mar-Alic? What's wrong with our dress sense, my family and friends wear this type of covering all the time!" demanded Har-Niv,

Hank didn't care about the fashion of land-people or fashion in general and is insistent Alice would be wearing mermaid fashion in future! She doesn't seem to grasp that the Mer are not money orientated like she was. When she asks where they were to live, where her house would be and how big was it and when he'll be giving her a credit card or a monthly monetary allowance to use keeping it up to the standards she expected.

"What is a credit card? Why would we need money?" he asked in a confused voice.

"To buy things, luxuries silly!" said Alice,

"We don't want the humans rubbish Mar-Alic; the sea is full of it already! We trade with the magics occasionally, with the bounty we gather from the sea. But only for what we need, which isn't much" said Sar-Rix (Sar-Ans-Rix-Olni) Har-Niv's mother, trying to explain things to her new daughter-in-law to be.

"You're a vampire, you don't need clothes. Do you feel the cold? No, then why would you need a warm house or a coat made from a land animal's skin, make sense Mar-Cln-Alic!" sneered Rav-Ans-Liv (Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni)

"Who are you exactly? What gives you the right to tell me what to do?" Alice asks the woman angrily; stunned when she said she was Hanks partner,

"You would insult me by having your jealous bitch of a mistress, teach me your customs!" Alice said nastily, getting ready to leave,

She, it turns out was Hanks first wife, if Alice could have given him young, she, Rar-Liv would have been demoted to the second wife. But will be holding her position due to her ability to help produce young.

"Stay where you are 'Olni' (female). Be grateful Rav-Liv has stepped aside temporarily to give you your place as my future second wife! She unlike you will bear my name because she will provide me with young to carry, which you cannot!" informed Har-Liv, not understanding her problem.

Alice is now the one horrified, she has expected to live in the water of the coast of Forks, with no money, no shopping trips, also she will have to share Hank and be the second wife, but not in name, so technically she would be the mistress or concubine. Furthermore, if he marries again and they can supply him with young then Alice will be the one demoted each time.

Well, she thought that will never do! I will have to inform them all that I have seen the need for changes to be made. Firstly I will not be living in the water, secondly, I will be his only wife and thirdly they will have to listen to me in all things, just as the Cullens once did!

"I must speak to my father, excuse me," she said rushing over to Carlisle as both Peter and Jasper watched smirking.

"Carlisle you must demand my power is restored! I will not be degraded with the position of the second wife, I will be their Queen or nothing!" she demanded, uncaring who heard her,

"Alice, show some respect please," Carlisle said trying to shush her,

Romain signalled Eric and he froze Alice mid tirade! Everyone was looking at her like she was a crazy person and Carlisle heaved a sigh.

"Can you do anything; Alice will never fit in here. Hank pleased be honest do you really want her that much? She will insult your family, your way of life and given an inch will exploit you all. You need to be strong and every watchful around her, we barely managed and we're vampires!" he said sadly, knowing the should have stopped her behaviour long ago,

For the good of the town and for the sanity of the Mer, Hank withdrew his scent from her and learned a lesson to stick to what he understood. New experiences were good, but trying to fit a square peg in a round hole never worked. Alice would be the only one leaving Forks. She would have her memory of all this erased, Charlie would take her back to the day they arrived and give her memories of disliking the town, the house and saying she would rather go out on her own.

Then an embedded thought of slowly letting the Cullens go, seeing them as holding her back would start to work on her. It would build little by little until she barely remembered to send them cards at Christmas. Nobody would see anything wrong as vampires often moved on to new covens or new places. Also if she was ever read, there would be nothing to see, her visions of the Cullens would stop that day.

**TCHBTE**

Selente, unlike Hank, knew she could sway Edward easily to her side. Therefore she asked Edward if he would like a tour of the town, now he could see it as it really was. Edward was embarrassed to admit this was what he saw the last time too, minus the people, of course. She didn't seem astonished or upset,

"That's okay Edward, you're a realist. You just need proof to see what's really there" she said and her wings beat a little faster making a quiet sound, it was music unlike anything Edward had ever heard,

"That sound, it's beautiful. What kind of music is it?" He asked her now and she this time was surprised,

"You can hear that? Edward that's fairy music and very few have ever heard it but us. It's usually beyond all mortals range, but then you're an immortal, so maybe that's the reason. You must come to the meadow with me and you will hear a concert unlike any other" she said leading him away,

This was what sealed Edward's future; he was able to hear what was not meant for others ears. It would be many days before they saw Edward again. He would be a changed man, yes man. The boy would be left behind in the annals of human history and the new Edward would emerge to see the world through the eyes of the fairy folk.

He had crossed the barrier between supernatural and fairy and was now one of them. He had drunk their wine, eaten their food and made love to their Queen. She had taken his human soul and transformed it into something bigger, something better and open to all things different. He was now the Edward he could always have been, but with wings!

* * *

**Mel-Ans-Roc-Karc **Hanks father the leader of the Merpeople.

**Rav-Ans-Liv-Olni** Hanks wife

**Sar-Ans-Rix-Olni** Hanks mother


	5. Would You Look At That

"Eddie! Ed man! Edward, please! I'm sorry, alright! I didn't mean anything by it. Please put me down" Emmett squeaked like a twelve-year-old girl,

"So having wings isn't girly after all then? Therefore you always knowing I was a great big fairy was a lie too, was it? Suggesting I wear a pink tutu and matching ballet pumps was meant to be funny, was it? Strange that Emmett, you can dish it out, but you're not so keen when the boot's on the other foot!" Edward said trying to keep a straight face,

When Edward had returned to the Cullens house, after being gone for five days. Well, Emmett just couldn't stop himself. He only saw the wings, not the changes in his brother. After about an hour, everyone had told Emmett to shut up several times, but he wouldn't let it go and Edward did something so unlike his usual self.

Luckily they'd all been in Edward's old room, he'd come to collect some of his things. He rushed at Emmett, grabbed him and went straight up through the roof. Apologising to Esme and telling her Emmett would fix it later. So now here they all were outside, looking up at the two men. One was calmly dangling the other by his arm over the ground a couple of hundred feet below.

Carlisle was worried for a few moments, but Jasper smiled and squeezed him on the shoulder. The feelings of mischief Edward was projecting flooded into him via Jasper's hand and he relaxed. Bella had also been at the house and she knew all about fairies and their sense of mischief. She peeled back the shield she had around Edward, unable to do it before as he was MIA.

_'Would a large pool of water, be helpful?' _she said straight into his head, he grinned wickedly and nodded,

Rose was standing by with a camera, she guessed something was about to happen and knew Edward would never hurt Emmett intentionally. Suddenly they saw a lake appear on the back lawn and Emmett falling fast towards it. The splash as he hit, soaked them all and even Bella was surprised.

"Oops! Didn't think that through" she said, waving her arm and drying everyone instantly with a very warm breeze,

A slightly subdued Emmett pulled himself out of the water and looked up at his brother,

"Sorry man!" was all he said before heading inside to change.

Bella was about to wave the lake away when Esme asked her to leave it as a reminder to Emmett, that not all his comments were funny, some were hurtful too. But not one to be down for long Emmett wondered if he could tunnel out to the sound. The Mer boys could use it to visit, he thought. He'd ask their leader next time they were in town.

Carlisle was happy to see Edward so happy and at ease with himself. It turns out even though he still looked like a vampire he no longer required blood to survive, but only fairy food and drink. They could change anyone into a fairy, but they would remain the species they were before. So he still had his speed, strength and vampire mind. Esme was unhappy he wouldn't be staying, but his mate was Selente the Queen of the fairies and his place was with her.

**TCHBTE**

A similar situation was happening with Jasper and Bella. She had taken one look at the Cullens house and thought nope! It was so OTT, who needed all that stuff and why was it so stark and bright. No, she would not be living in a show home, she wanted a place where she could relax and be herself. As a witch she could have anything she wanted with a click of her fingers, but what's the point in that? Nor did she like the idea of everyone hearing everything you said or did!

The five days Edward was gone had been used differently by Jasper and Bella. They had spent the time together, talking, sharing everything warts and all. It had been very cathartic for them both, especially Jasper. She didn't judge him at all, insisting he made the best out of a bad situation and he was not to blame for what Maria made them all do. She'd lied, cheated and controlled good people to get her own way.

Jasper reiterated to her what he'd told her father. He'd wait as long as she needed before changing her unless she was at death's door and then all bets would be off. He had no intention of living without her ever! Bella smiled, she knew they'd find an answer, with everyone pooling their resources, how could they possibly fail. Not for one moment did she doubt they would find the answer and Jasper envied her, having that kind of conviction.

Then things turned more personal, he wanted to stay yes, but not with her and her father in their home, once they were together. She agreed that would be untenable and added no way was she living in that mausoleum he called home. So they imagined what they would both like and wondered where they could build it.

But that was jumping the gun and she laughed saying he'd have to make an honest woman of her first unless he wanted to be hexed by her father. He laughed right back and said,

"No darlin', I don't want that. So would you do me the honour of allowin' me to take you on a date?"

Jasper liked the fact that they didn't have to rush at their relationship like a bull in a china shop. They could take their time and really enjoy getting to know each other. Not that he wouldn't like to just grab her and make love to her right now, he would. But he was determined to do this the right way, it would be their one and only relationship and he wanted it to be perfect or as perfect as a witch and a vampire could have.

Day four was spent with Charlie talking about who they could question. Finding a dark witch would be the hardest thing, that was until Peter arrived.

"I've found one; well she's not really dark per se! From what little info I got it appears when a witch is turned, both the vampire and witch communities spread the word they're dark, dangerous and to be shunned. Mainly because they themselves are scared, not that the witch will do anythin' wrong. Both sides hunt them down and kill them indiscriminately, along with their mates. So they are isolated right from the off, either with their mate or left out there alone waitin' to be picked off!" Peter said he seemed incensed on the witches behalf,

In his mind it seemed unfair and cruel, but if all the turned witches became a coven! Well, then they would have the upper hand, too strong for either group to take them on. Yes, Peter loved an underdog and he felt it was time to address this situation that normal vampires knew nothing about. He intended to ask Bella to ask the archive for the names of witches still alive who had been turned. Wasn't it enough that the humans shunned them all, without your own side doing the same.

So Peter and Charlotte were off to talk to this witch and would let them know what had happened as soon as possible. Day five the day of Edward's return was being spent with the Cullens or what was left of them. With Alice's departure, Edward's transformation and Jasper's mating they were down to four. Esme's hopes or Bella and Jasper staying were dashed before she even voiced them. He was already a very private person and Bella was of a similar ilk. She didn't need a replacement mother she wasn't the seventeen she looked.

"I'll be staying with my father until Jasper and I get married, then we'll be building a place of our own. Jasper wants to do it the old fashioned way, with his bare hands, anyway, somewhere quiet and private, maybe up near Peter and Charlotte's cabin. We'll be keeping it for when they visit if they ever leave that is!" Bella had told her in no uncertain terms.

**TCHBTE**

Life was settling down once again in Forks, the vampires fitted in quite nicely, in fact, the magical community learn much about the human world they had been ignoring from them. Seeing they had become far too isolated, it was detrimental to their wellbeing. If they weren't careful the humans would realise something was very strange about Forks Washington. So every day delegations of people arrived at the large white mansion and impromptu learning sessions began.

It was strange to think that the vampires were the authority on humans and not the more humanoid populace. Emmett was in his glory talking about technology and gaming, films and entertainment. Rose was the expert on transport and female fashion, hairstyles and beauty regimes. Esme talked about interior design and architecture, as well, as modern art. Carlisle was up to date on all things medical as well as government laws and procedures.

Jasper, when approached, was happy to discuss history, modern warfare and the art of forgery. On the rare occasions, anyone had to leave Forks, they had noticed many changes and instead of keeping abreast of them they had fallen far behind,

"The art of hidin' successfully is to blend in, not stand out!" Jasper had said,

"Yes, we ourselves were swayed by Alice and became everything we should not have" Carlisle admitted and this statement actually gained them more respect. Admitting to falling into the trap of complacency, made them seem more normal, approachable.

The thing that gained the respect of the other species was of all things recycling. Emmett had seen first-hand lots of detritus, both in the water and abandoned on the shoreline. He had the idea that they could actually make money from the rubbish the human threw out, which eventually washed up in the Puget Sound. He would make huge cages which were to be hidden at the bottom of the sound in various places, where the Mer could fill them and he would empty them once a week.

Sort it all into containers of glass, plastic and other biodegradables. Then once a month he would take them to collection centres or sell them to states that pay you for it. It wouldn't take long for it to become a lucrative business. Carlisle in the future would help them set up a trust to deal with the money. Although they didn't need it for personal items, the money would be used to repair the blocked and damaged waterways all around the area. Some caused by the weather, most by soil degradation.

The spin-off from this would eventually aid the Quileutes fishing grounds and the water quality improvements would in time encourage more animals to appear and therefore more plants too. Eventually, they would be able to clean up the whole coastline and the three main rivers and several tributaries that surround Forks. All because Emmett said,

"Man that's a lot of human garbage; you should sell it back to them!"

**TCHBTE**

Peter knew he was in the right place; it was a run-down bar on the edge of nowhere, Colorado! He and Charlotte sat at the bar pretending to drink a beer, as he watches the bartender occasionally put a shot on the bar next to an empty stool. Then it would disappear faster than the human eye could see, but Peter wasn't human.

"Hello Camille!" he said in a tone only a vampire would hear,

"You can see me? How?" asked an angry hissed voice,

"Nope, just know you're there! I have a ..., I just know shit!" he replied.

To anyone looking it looked like he was talking to Charlotte and not the empty stool next to him.

"I'm not here to cause you any bother, just ask a couple of questions and give you a suggestion for the future!" he now said,

"Okay, I'll bite. It's been a while since I've spoken to anyone, well anyone like me!" she said in a sad voice,

"Oh suga', the worlds a damn cruel place and that's no lie!" Charlotte told the invisible vampire who just grunted in reply.

"How about we take a booth at the back, a little less conspicuous for us all. Maybe we'll grab us some dinner later, there is always some sicko's in these kinda joints" Peter asked getting to his feet, praying she'd follow them,

Charlotte followed with a tray of shots she'd ordered; maybe Camille would do what Jasper did and let them believe it was real. It was amazing how good it felt to be able to taste the liquor, really taste it. Drinking alcohol was not as unpleasant as eating food, but it had no real taste at all. This was sad because it really smelt as good as it had when they were human.

The two vampires sat to one side of the booth, in fact, Charlotte sat on Peter's lap and placed a couple of shots in front of themselves and another couple at the other edge of the booth.

"Alright, you know who I am, so who are you?" the disembodied voice inquired curiously,

"Peter and Charlotte Whitlock ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Peter said gallantly.

"My he's got pretty manners for a seasoned warrior! You were in the southern wars I'm guessing by the scars. How the hell did you get free of that?" Camille asked them now,

"Peter can be a gentleman when he wants to suga'. Yes, we were in Maria, one of the warlord's army for a while, me less than him. Our sire helped us escape when my head was on the line!" Charlotte explained calmly.

"Wow, you were lucky then. Your name seems familiar, who was your sire?" Camille asked with a hint of mistrust,

"No need to worry sweet thing, he's a good man with a bad reputation is all! He's just plain Jasper Whitlock nowadays, but he once was called the Major!" Peter said holding his breath a little,

"The Major, he let you go why?" she asked in a whisper that wasn't needed,

"He's our sire, my friend and my brother. When I realised Char was my mate and she was due to be culled I panicked and he kept his cool. He left her to last and told us to run and never look back, we did just that for five years before I returned for him!" Peter told her and only a fool would miss the love and respect in his voice as he spoke of Jasper.

"I envy you that connection. I killed my sire and his band of hunters, all but one! They thought themselves special, elite even! They came over from Europe, hunting and killing supernaturals of every kind, turning us and letting us loose on the population before hunting us all again and killing those they re-caught for fun. Saying they were upholding the law, that we were a threat to the secret!

I was fooled the first time, well caught off guard anyway. But they never got a second chance, this is a mighty fine gift. It protected me and gave me the chance to return the favour and hunt them down instead!" Camille explained bitterly before dropping her invisibility illusion and Peter and Charlotte saw the beautiful woman before them.

"As you can see I'm from First Nation descent originally and that was their mistake. They thought to use a werewolf blade against me as I'm now a vampire. True it gave me this shock of white hair, but my tribe were shifters and me, their shaman, so I expelled the poison with only this to show for it. But the Volturi now hunt me and the witch council is on my back too, even though technically I'm not really a witch as such.

Therefore I keep myself cloaked most of the time. But it's a lonely existence!" Camille said exhaling slowly as she got it off her chest to someone else,

"The one who got away? Let me guess, Caius Volturi the king rat himself!" Peter spat angrily as his gift informed him of the truth.

"Yes, the coward ran as his friends diminished!" Camille said scathingly, "Turns out there are slim pickings in Europe nowadays as the supernaturals have gone into hiding. His activities are a well-guarded secret apparently! Aro seems to think it will keep him happy and out of his hair, or that's what my sire told me as I tore him limb from limb!"

"Well not for much longer I think! I might just l know a few people who would be delighted to let this little gem slip out" Peter said the wheels in his mind spinning,

"You never said what it was you wanted from me Oh, drink up, it'll taste better now," Camille said smiling, she liked these two warriors,

"Ah, yes! The Major has met his mate, but she's an elemental witch and everyone keeps saying witches go bad when turned. We were lookin' to hear it straight from the horse mouth so to speak" Peter explained and Camille laughed,

"The Volturi have much to answer for. This is another of their little lies; they know it's all in the sire of the witches. He, after all, changed the twins, but refuses to let them do magic! He's afraid someone stronger, better and good, will come along and spoil his little party!" she sneered at she mentioned of his name,

"Well, well! This is interestin', Bella will be relieved. Now my idea, can you spot a witch vampire easily? If you all banded together as one coven, in both senses of the word. They would have to take you seriously; I'm not advocatin' world domination. Just freedom for you to be yourselves, without interference from the witch council or the Volturi! After all, as hybrids neither can understand your needs, so you should be allowed to represent yourselves and many will back you believe me"

"Wow, that's ambitious! But it's a definite plan! I would love nothing more than to have a coven, I've been on my own for so long, well one hundred years anyway. Caius has never returned n that entire time bloody coward!" Camille said with disgust lacing her tone.

"We're returnin' to or sire tomorrow. He's in a supernatural community of many species, one of which is a shifter tribe, the Quileutes!" Peter said dangling the carrot in front of Camille,

"Washington State then? They, I believe are wolves! We were wild mustangs, beautiful, strong, fast as the wind and deadly creatures, they shunned me you know. The fear and ignorance could not be breached and I finally gave up leaving my family behind to the mercies of my tribe" she said sadly,

"Well, this lot are different, they live side by side with Fairies, Nymphs, Witches and the Mer. They are a strong community that just incorporated Vampires, well one family so far, the Cullens!" Charlotte said now and Camille looked at them smiling,

"I have heard of Carlisle Cullen, who hasn't? The vampire who refuses to kill humans and became a doctor to help them. Would they let me visit, do you think I would be accepted there for a little while?" Camille asked wistfully,

"Only one way to find out sweet thing, ask! I'll make the call okay? But, if not we have a small cabin just on the edge of their community and you can stay with us until they get to know you" Peter said, knowing everything would work out fine.

"Tell them my real name is Cah'mel Lahote!" she said breathlessly, even for a vampire.

**TCHBTE**

Jasper was more than a little shocked by Peter's call, not only had he found the witch vampire, but she was good. Not only that she was from a shifter tribe and the kicker, had been hunted by Caius Volturi himself! Damn, Peter never does anything by halves, he thought. In the past, Jasper would have gone to Carlisle with such news first, but this was much more in Charlie's sphere.

So he headed there first, knowing that a meeting would have to be called to decide if Camille or Cah'mel could come to Forks. He withheld only one bit of information, that Peter had offered her a bolthole on their cabin, which was technically outside of the supernatural community. He felt she deserved some help, even if only a safe house for a short time.

Once he had passed on the information to Charlie he went in search of Carlisle. The news was not quite as shocking to him as Jasper might have expected. But Carlisle knew of Caius' predilection for destroying anything he didn't like or understand. After all, he's advocated for Carlisle's death once upon a time, because he refused to kill humans.

It was as if it was a personal insult to Caius' way of life and therefore demanding the death penalty. Carlisle knew he was the most unstable of the three brothers. Once the meeting was called all agreed she should be allowed to come and talk to them. If only to aid Bella in her future. The Quileutes were cautious, but not condemning like her own tribe and that might have been more because of her name.

Lahote was well known here, they married into the founding family long ago. In fact roughly one hundred years ago! Was that a mere coincidence or had Cah'mel's family fled after she was shunned or were they shunned themselves? Old Quill set to and looked through any old tribal documents to find out any answers he could. There was precious little but one man Luk'ka Lahote and his infant son Gene Lahote had arrived here many years ago from a tribe far away.

The had said it was due to the death of the boy's mother and a need for a fresh start. Tribe's intermingled much more back then. The father was a skilled hunter on land and the boy eventually married into one of the main families, the Uley's and if they carried shifter genes, it was less dominant than the wolf gene. Well he thought, we are a proud tribe and we will welcome home a lost sister.

Even if she is a vampire, she is still a shaman and an ancestor of one of our wolves. The Quileutes would right the wrongs of her own tribe and give her a place to finally call home and a family too. Old Quill knew they too might have been like her own tribe if not for the magic's coming to Forks. Once they too had been insular and reluctant to see what was staring them in the face, but little by little they were worn down by the community around them and found great joy and friendship which would otherwise have been lost.

The past was where it should be behind them and they now looked to the future with open minds and open eyes. Not all was as the ancestors thought, not all was black and white. They were not all bad and the tribe all good, their own histories told them this. So, therefore, some vampires could also be good too. So he called a tribal meeting and told them Cah'mel Lahote was coming home at long last and she would be accepted into the tribe and given a place on the council if she so wished. Everyone was at first stunned and then joyous, as Paul sat speechless with tears in his eyes.

* * *

**Gene Lahote is a member of the Uley family. He is the husband of Ruth Uley, the son-in-law of Thomas Uley I and Beatrice Door, the brother-in-law of Caleb Uley, and Levi Uley, and the great-grandfather of Paul Lahote. (Twilight Saga Wiki)**


	6. Home Is Where The Heart Is

If she could have cried, she surely would have. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine what she saw before her golden eyes now. That little thing had surprised Peter and Char when Camille finally uncloaked herself she had the eyes of a vegetarian vampire.

"I'm a protector of human's first, vampire second! So I feed only from animals. I have even managed to hunt only the weak, the infirm and the dying. I tried very hard not to upset the balance too much, wherever I went" she explained to them in that bar,

But here before her was a whole tribe of her people, not her tribe, but definitely her people! They were chanting and the drums were beating. Quil Ateara the third, Shaman of the Quileutes met her at the edge of the village. He greeted her in the time-honoured way between two Shamans, and then he held out a cloak, the type of dressing she hadn't worn for many years. Then together they entered the village of La Push and finally into the tribal meeting hut.

The ground below their feet had been strewn with herbs as a welcome for her and a blessing. But the most shocking sight was the young man on his knees before her as she entered the building. There was no doubt in her mind he was a Lahote; he almost exactly resembled her beloved Lu'kka and his father before him.

"I am Paul, grandmother!" he said with a catch in his voice as he stood to step into her embrace.

All the wolves were surprised; she didn't smell like a vampire at all. In fact, she smelt more like them than anything else. Cah'mel was stunned by the acceptance she'd received, the feeling of once more belonging somewhere. Even when the feasting commenced she was shocked to be presented with animal blood to drink.

"We have learned much from our neighbours Cah'mel. Making us less judgemental and more accepting of what the spirits bring our way. How can we expect to achieve enlightenment if we do not open our eyes and our hearts?" Old Quil said at he bemused look.

Tomorrow she would meet the other supernaturals, but today was for them alone. This was the rejoicing of a people, old traditions brought forth by the return of a lost ancestor.

**TCHBTE**

All of the many other communities around La Push heard the tribal drums and the upraised voices of the people. They were really happy for them, each of them had intermingled more so than the Quileutes. So having different species among them was less alarming. Heavens the fairy Queen had just recently taken a vampire to her heart and her bed. This was quite normal now for them all; they saw only that it strengthened them, with their diversity.

Bella and Jasper were spending the day together; she was showing him all her favourite hangouts. Each suited to a different element in her make up. The calm waterfall, the mountains which he'd seen after her renovations. The open landscape where the sun could beat down on her and the forest where the wind whistled through the trees. They were all different from each other, but all tied together by her presence.

"There's not much call for an elemental in day to day life. But I usually have a large role to play during our rituals and things like that. I mainly just use my powers for small things and concentrate on basic magic. It doesn't come all that naturally to me. The same as the elements don't sit well with others and tend to get away from them. Each to there own as they say!" Bella explained to him and he understood, because gifts were like that, except others couldn't master yours or vice versa.

But what Jasper noticed, was that the magical folk weren't power crazy with their magic, unlike vampires with gifts. There was next to none of, my magic is better than yours! Whereas that happened all the time in the vampire world. Bella said usually it was just friendly rivalry or occasionally family-oriented. How did they deal with it, easy Bella told him, with 'Hex Wars'! Not real wars but set aside days where anything goes.

Everyone tried to outdo their rivals or friends by hexing more people than each other. Only the elders and children were left unscathed, along with non-magic's like the Mer and the Quileutes and if you could hex one person multiple times even better. A leader board was set up in the centre of town and each hex was magically counted, on who and by whom! Points were awarded for Spoken, Unspoken and Hand controlled hex.

Hand controlled were the easiest, spoken next and unspoken was the hardest. On the day it was not unusual she told Jasper to see people with multicoloured hair and skin. Or animals running about in clothes they could recognise as belonging to friends. She and Eric were not allowed to use their main magic as it would be too easy for them to win.

He could freeze everyone and hex them at his leisure and she could trap them with water, fire, wind or bury then up to their necks and do the same. So major magic was not allowed, but for instance, Charlie could use his gift for one second to confuse. Teleporting was okay, but every house and building had a safe room for that day and all hexes had to be done between 9 am and 9 pm only.

The whole town became the battlefield and it was like paint-balling on steroids. People could do it alone or in teams of two, but the judges had to know beforehand. Bella was very competitive and had come third, two years ago in a team with her father and second last year with Angela. This year she intended to win and Jasper would be her secret weapon.

With her shield, his speed and ability to distract others by messing with their emotions she was convinced they could win this year. This was a side of her he hadn't known existed and since he himself liked to win, he was sure they'd make a good team. But it was a couple of months away and they would have time to practise some moves.

**TCHBTE**

The one thing they did agree on was when they finally built a home for themselves it would be by the waterfall, it was so peaceful and calming and Jasper loved it right away. He also had decided that he would take Bella into the human world on their dates. Not to prove she was missing something, but to show her his world was sometimes beautiful too.

Life had settled back down in Forks and the school mothballed once again, seeing as the Cullens knew about them all, there was no need for the subterfuge anymore. Everyone had met Cah'mel and were happy she had joined them. Bella and Jasper's first date was approaching and he explained he wanted to take her to Seattle during the day.

"What will I wear?" she asked and he mentioned that he'd loved her biker chick outfit she'd worn the first day and they could go on her bike if she didn't mind.

Bella didn't mind at all, in fact, she would be letting him drive so she could just wrap herself around him. They hadn't progressed much beyond hand-holding and long passionate kisses, but the tension between them mounted with every day. But it was a pleasant feeling, not painful or angsty because they knew they could change their status at any time if they wanted.

But neither wanted to rush this thing between them, it would be for eternity, so why leap in gracelessly. They would learn about each other slowly and when the time was right they would know. Jasper had noticed on several occasions that the weather could change when they got a little carried away, he imagined that when they finally came together it would be amazing, exhilarating even.

Maybe somewhere unpopulated would be best, in case her powers got away from her. Carlisle and Esme owned an Island off the Brazilian coast; far enough out that nobody would notice any weather anomalies now and again. Yes, he liked the idea and would ask their permission, before he suggested it to Bella. He wanted her to have as much input into their life together as he did. He wondered if she could teleport them there? He would ask her that too.

The trip to Seattle was good for both of them, she loved the speed and the holding him tightly. He also enjoyed the speed and feel of the bike below him, but Bella's arms holding him were much more to his liking. He showed her all the sights and they wandered around a couple of galleries, discussing paintings and sculptures they saw. He was trying to find out what she liked and more importantly what she didn't.

As the day was coming to an end Bella asked Jasper if she could take him somewhere now. That somewhere was a hidden community on Kellogg Island. Unseen by humans and other supernaturals was a thriving trading post for magical beings. Here items were bought and sold, well bartered more often than not.

It was so well hidden it didn't even disturb the birds now living there. Witches and Wizards teleported out and in without anyone being aware. Jasper was fascinated as Bella traded items he didn't even know she had on her. She was buying blood of all things and he was most confused,

"I thought we could try you out on some of these and if they work, then you wouldn't need to go hunting as often or at all!" she said hesitantly and he smiled at her concern for him.

"Sounds like a plan to me darlin'," he said kissing her tenderly,

"Major?!" said a voice nearby and Jasper stiffened smelling a vampire.

"Garrett? What in hell's name brings you here of all places?" Jasper quizzed,

"I could say the same Major, but I can see for myself, is this your mate?" Garrett asked back to him,

"Yes! Isabella, meet Garrett an old friend of the Whitlocks and Carlisle" Jasper said quietly, still a little unsure why Garrett would be on an island that hid a magic trading post.

"Relax Major. Hello, Isabella, it's a pleasure to meet you" Garrett said bowing over Bella's hand gallantly,

"It's my pleasure," she said seeing at once how like Peter he was, just a big flirt really.

"Garrett, my love! Who are you flirting with ..., Jasper? What? Who's here with you?" Kate said panicking,

"It's okay sweetie! He's here with his mate Isabella" Garrett said pulling the stunning vampire up against his side. Making it obvious to Jasper that she was his mate.

"Mate! You're a witch? Sorry, of course, you are! Short explanation Jazz, Sasha, my sire was a witch, but she couldn't teach us, my sisters and I since we were all Succubae. But we do use some magical products to keep us looking our best!" she whispered to Jasper and Bella,

"Carlisle doesn't know, does he? I am sure Alice and Edward would have condemned you out of hand otherwise!" Jasper said hugging Kate quickly,

"We felt it best to keep that under wraps. So where is everyone?" she asked now looking around.

"It's just us and don't worry, Alice no longer lives with the Cullens. We're all in Forks now, please tell Tanya Edward met his mate in Selente, the Queen of the Fairies!" Jasper whispered back,

Both Garrett and Kate tried to stifle a laugh, but couldn't. Before long the four of them were laughing hard.

"Now Jasper, he's got a lovely pair of wings! They match his hair perfectly" Bella sniggered and they all burst out laughing again,

"Damn, that I'd love to see!" Garrett said as they all calmed down again.

Once proper introductions were made and Bella insisted only Jasper and her father called her Isabella, for them to call her Bella. They agreed it was now safe to tell Carlisle and that way they could still visit back and forth.

"We were just leaving do you need a teleport out?" Bella enquired, knowing non-magics used a portal that was always busy and they might have to queue for ages,

"That would be wonderful, thank you Bella," Kate said liking the Major's young mate right away.

Once back in Seattle they all decided to go to a club to hear some music and dance a little. Bella was really enjoying this and decided next time they should go with Char and Peter. Jasper loved how she felt about his real family; none of the Cullens had really liked them because of Alice and Edward. By the time they were ready to head home, Bella was exhausted.

"Why don't you bind yourself to me and catch some shut-eye darlin'. I'll wake you when we reach Forks" Jasper said and Bella nodded and did a hand movement that even he felt the results of,

"You can tell me tomorrow why Succubus can't do magic!" he said over his shoulder just as Bella fell asleep.

**TCHBTE**

Carlisle smiled knowingly and admitted he'd guessed years ago. Over the many years, they had let slip an odd saying or fact that was not quite normal for vampires. It hadn't taken Carlisle long to piece it all together. Of course, Alice and Edward had put it down to their Slavic origins. He remembered several instances now, where he had been let down by their attitude to others, it wasn't just arrogance or even ignorance, but intolerance he now realised.

He also knew in his own heart this was not his fault, because none of the others had ever felt that way about the sisters. He once again wondered if Alice really knew nothing of her past or pretended to, as she felt her roots were beneath her. Edward he knew had been a product of his era, where so much emphasis was placed on standing in the community.

Then he looked at Rose and Emmett if two people should never have been it was them. But they had scaled the social divide, because now as vampires it meant absolutely nothing to either of them. Yes, love truly had conquered all in their case. Carlisle himself had lived so long he was totally at ease in whichever human social class he found himself in.

It was irrelevant; a non-issue to him and Esme had taken a leaf out of his book and acted the doctor's wife on every level with him as the eras rolled by. Of course, being a doctor had automatically put him in a more affluent class years ago, as had Rose and Edward's fathers, being bankers and lawyers respectively. But he above anyone knew, money wasn't everything, but then he'd had many years to work it out for himself.

He was glad he wouldn't lose his friends because they now lived here in Forks. Sometimes you needed the company of like-minded people to help you see what was happening around you. Vampires were very guilty of stagnating and ignoring the ever-changing world around them. The Volturi were a prime example of that. The middle ages were a terrible and cruel time, but that was where they had finally stopped moving forward.

Carlisle shook his head, he was letting himself think too much of the past. Here in Forks was his life now and he intended to embrace it. He wasn't really needed as a doctor, so he would concentrate on research and writing all those papers he'd never got around too. He would have the time to for once prove soon of his long-held theories. He was excited about it and the others could see this and were happy for him.

**TCHBTE**

"So what you're sayin' is no matter what they tried to do for others it would only work on them? Because the person askin' for the spell or potion would be besotted with them! Damn, that would be awkward and slightly maddenin' too!" Jasper said as Charlie and Bella explained why the sister couldn't perform magic,

"Yes, it was decided aeons ago that Succubae would, for the human's safety, not be taught magic. Because their gifts as you vampires call it and powers as we do are not stable enough!" Charlie told the enthralled Jasper.

It was beginning to become obvious to him that many gifts were not gifts at all, but latent magic. He and Edward fell into the gift category, his natural caring nature had become empathetic and Edward's intuitiveness became mind-reading. But Alice's was surely magic; she might not have known there was magic in her background. Her power proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The magical community called vampire gifts either gifts or powers. Powers were all magic-based, even when the wielder was unaware. Take Aro and Marcus Volturi, Aro's was a gift and Marcus' was a power, he was a soul reader. The same with the twins, they used their powers to commit evil, they should have been healers.

Demetri the tracker, his was a gift, whereas Heidi's was a power and like the Denali sisters one not trained. She was a Siren and they like Succubae were unstable enough to wield magic. Bella believed from what Carlisle had told her Benjamin of the Egyptian coven his was a power, just like hers. Also, it sounded like Eleazar was an aura reader; therefore his was a power too.

Peter's too she said was a power, it was a seeing of sorts and much more reliable than Alice's power. Like the Oracles at Delphi, he saw definite outcomes, not possibilities. Jasper was amazed at first and then it became obvious. They were not the only supernatural and as every vampire had once been human, well the odds were great that many had some latent magical power.

"Peter's gonna be chuffed darlin', you just proved that he doesn't have a gift! He's been tellin' us that for years, adamant that it was not a gift at all. You should make a list of all known vampires and sort them into gift or power for future reference" Jasper said happily, not knowing how important that would be in the future.

But in the meantime they just got on with their daily lives, having a couple of more dates and even double dating with Peter and Char. But tonight they were off to Seattle dancing with a crowd. Rose and Emmett asked to join them the next time they went, as did Angela and Ben along with Lauren and Austin. So it was a group of ten that set off for Seattle in a mini convoy.

What drew their attention no one was sure? Was it five vampires out with five humans, or what appeared to be humans? But on leaving the club and heading back to their cars, the group were stopped by a group of three nomads! Their confusion at the mixed eye colours of the vampires put the nomads on the defensive, was this not a feeding party after all?

But the scars on three of the five made two of the nomads apprehensive and they backed up slightly. The leader was either stupid or cocky!

"Care to share? Maybe we'll just take them from you, after all, who wines and dines their dinner it's unnatural?" he spat in disgust,

Bella immediately shielded her friends, not with a thin barrier but a thick impenetrable one. The move was almost choreographed as Peter and Charlotte flanked Jasper. Both Rose and Emmett dropped back behind their non-vampire friends in a protective stance.

"You're about to make the biggest mistake of your life!" Jasper drawled and Bella glanced over at him,

This was not her loving gentle mate jasper, this was Major Whitlock. She deadened the sound in the bubble and said,

"Lauren transfigure those four stones to look like you guys and teleport out at my signal, Austin make the illusion as real as possible. Peter a little distraction please!" she said and Jasper felt a thrill run through him at how commanding his mate was.

"Well, well! Looky here, Major. We've got ourselves a bunch of idiots! Can I play with them please, pretty please?" Peter said as all the nomads looked at him, Bella nodded to Lauren and Austin,

"They're gone," she said touching Jasper's back gently,

"You should have left too, Suga'" he murmured, but she shook her head as if to say, I think not!

"So which of you, damn fools wants to die first!" the Major asked raising an eyebrow,

The two at the back turned as if to run and hit a brick wall that wasn't there. Bella had inverted her shield over them and was in her own personal one.

"Where the fuck did the other four go" the leader yelled,

"Mind your mouth there are ladies present!" Emmett said cracking his knuckles,

"God damn it, James, I warned you! I said it felt wrong didn't I? But, Oh no, the great and almighty James knew better" The woman yelled at the leader,

"Should have listened to her dumbass!" Char said dropping into an attack crouch just waiting for Jasper word.

"Bella darlin' please go!" he said quietly,

"No, it's all or nothing baby!" she replied and he nodded understanding as she stepped back, sliding between Rose and Emmett,

"Em left, Pete right, that asshole is mine!" the Major said and the fight was on.

"Mon Dieu!" the guy with dreads said as Rose and Emmett descended on him,

"Sorry, no speaky the lingo!" Emmett said as Rose ripped off both his arms and he tore off his head.

"Now now, sweets, you're not tryin' to leave are you?" Char asked grabbing a handful of red hair and yanking the screaming bitch back to her,

As she removed the woman's head, Peter neatly stacked her suddenly dismembered body.

"Damn that's efficiency!" Emmett laughed as they all turned to watch the two men now circling each other.

Jasper was unscathed, but James was down to one arm and had gouges leaking venom everywhere.

"Lesson one son, know your enemy! Lesson two, never bite off more than you can chew! Lesson three; always make peace with your God before a fight! Finally, damn there is no lesson four, goodbye, see you in hell!" the Major drawled before finishing off the guy and stacking him neatly, just as Peter had.

The purple haze blew away quickly, in a wind Bella made happen and as they all looked around the parking lot, nobody seemed to have seen a thing. Jasper turned to his mate in slight apprehension; it was one thing wanting to know all sides of him. It was another thing altogether seeing it. But Bella was across the space and leaping into his arms before he could open his mouth.

She was running her hands all over him checking for any injury he might have received. But there were none and she sighed loudly before crashing her lips down on his in the most intense kiss they had ever shared. Peter nodded to Emmett, telling him and Rose to take Austin's car back to Forks. He and Char climbed into Jaspers and drove away leaving the two still in a passionate embrace.

"Bella?" Jasper queried,

"Hotel now! Never mind baby," she said teleporting them to the waterfall in Forks and into the little cabin that Jasper had started to build.

With a click of her fingers, a soft pallet of blankets covered the floor and Jasper laid her down gently.

* * *

**Mon Dieu! (French) - **My God!


	7. The Power Of Love

**Congratz to twi-nana for being the 200th reviewer for this one xx Alexis**

* * *

The cabin by the picturesque waterfall was filled with sound. The sounds of moaning, of growling, even a little screaming in ecstasy and a lot of words of love and devotion. Bella may have looked like every other seventeen-year-old virgin, but she was a fifty-eight-year-old witch. A witch who'd saved herself for her future life partner, but this didn't make her a nervous uneducated participant for the first tender joining with the vampire below her and now the more ardent one.

She was at long last, releasing a passion which had been laying dormant inside of her and he was enthralled. The air crackled around them with a powerful energy, her hair was lifting from her body. But not in a freaky horror movie kind of way or in a comic book reaction to a shock style. No, it floated and undulated with her passion, the ends caressing the body of her lover and he groaned at the sensation, the sheer eroticism of it all.

This was round two of their love fest; round one had been slow, romantic and loving. Consummately gentle and reverent. They had made love with each other. This time it was much more primal, it was almost feral and it was out and out fucking! There was no other way to describe it as their bodies slapped against each other; Bella had spelled her own body to withstand the powerful attentions of her mate. Able to accept all he was capable of giving and he was beyond grateful.

There was no holding back now, no slow human pace. This was vampire sex in all it's glory, they had fought for dominance and Jasper for once submitted to the woman who held his heart. It wasn't as if he gained nothing from it. There is no shame in receiving passion, or in giving it. So he lay there staring up into the eyes of the woman riding his cock with a fervour he had never felt before. He felt alive for once, not just as a vampire, but as a man, a man in love.

He was sure the tables would be turned soon enough and she would see a side of him that would make her heart skip a beat. The Major could also be passionate, he wasn't just a killer, he was an ardour filled being. Jasper never saw himself as two people; there was the gentle more human side of him and the dominant, more forceful vampire side. Others separated him into Jasper and the Major, but to him, he was both equally, able to change at will.

His eyes snapped up once more at the slightly vicious snarl from the woman he loved and he felt all her emotions flooding his body, she was almost feral in her demeanour and he loved it. He saw a sudden glint and realised Bella had given herself the means to mark him as hers. He grabbed her hips and sitting up he slammed her down on himself repeatedly, they were both so close to orgasm.

"Do it darlin', bite me. Make me yours!" he demanded of her and she smiled wickedly showing him her elongated canines,

"You too, baby! It won't hurt me, won't turn me unless I let it!" she purred and he felt himself stiffen even more,

It took only three more thrusts and they came together, both biting down on the other's neck. Thus triggering not only a second orgasm, but the skies to erupt with thunder and lightning. It was like a light show out there, many stopped to look up at the sky and smile. Every witch and wizard in Forks knew exactly what that meant, having been warned years ago. An elemental witch had lost her virginity, thus her power would grow in strength and resilience.

It was a strange but well-documented thing, they had to release pent up energy into the atmosphere at their climax. This was so they didn't hurt their lover or themselves. So although it was their second round, it was her witch's release, this time as it was more an emotional one. Charlie Swan heaved a sigh, his daughter was all grown up now, and he was both sad and happy for Bella. She deserved love just as much as anyone else and having her powers unlocked.

As the blissed-out couple lay panting in the aftermath Bella started to giggle. Jasper smiled asking her what was going on. Once she explained he face-palmed himself,

"Great, now everyone knows includin' your father? I'm a dead man!" he pretended to be scared,

"You're a dead man anyway baby, so it doesn't matter! Now could you suck your venom back out, please. I put a little shield bubble in my neck to stop the venom penetrating, for now" she half-laughed back at him.

Jasper was stunned, wow she was amazing, he thought as he gently placed his lips around his mark and withdrew the venom until her blood was clear. Bella's body shivered and shook with suppressed passion as he gently caressed her skin with his tongue. Dear god, that was erotic she mused as she smoothed her hair down.

"Sorry about the Hollywood vampire fangs, but I didn't know how else to make them," she said sheepishly,

"It was hot darlin' and really sexy. I liked it, I liked it a lot. We should revisit that sometime!" Jasper said nuzzling her neck, which was now free of venom, but still showed his mating mark clearly on her.

**TCHBTE**

Carlisle was obviously more than a little intrigued by the thought that what they had called gifts were not that at all. Bella told him a gift was a hangover from your human life, like an enhancement of a trait you once had. Like Emmett's strength and Edward speed. But in some cases, it became more another ability, like ESP was to humans. But that power was magical based, you were born human with it in a latent state and it cannot be stopped by any gift.

The reason the Volturi weren't aware was because they had had the power-based witch twins with them for so long and a power works on a power unlike a gift. For instance, Demetri probably never noticed he never really knew where Alice was. He saw the others but not her he assumed she was away or even subconsciously just placed her there where she should be.

Bella explained she now knows her shield is a second power from Renee's side of the family because it stopped the Cullens hearing, seeing or feeling anyone and the nomads from escaping. They had compiled a list of the Volturi and put them in the two categories once their gift or power was explained:

**Name ****Power**

Afton Volturi - Y - Illusionist (Invisibility)

Alec Volturi - Y - Healer (Anaesthetist)

Aro Volturi N

Chelsea Volturi - Y - Memory (Bond) Manipulator

Corin Volturi N

Demetri Volturi N

Heidi Volturi - Y - Siren

Jane Volturi - Y - Healer (Pain controller)

Marcus Volturi - Y - Soul Reader (bond reader)

Renata Volturi - Y - Defender (Shield)

Of the seven with powers, only three were dangerous, Jane, Alec and Chelsea. Caius, Felix, Santiago, Sulpicia and Anthenodora Volturi had no gifts or powers. Felix's strength was just like Emmett's and Santiago's speed just like Edward's. Other guard's status was not known at this time.

"How does Aro read the ones with powers then?" Rose quizzed Bella really interested in all of this new information.

"They obviously don't realise they can stop him and just open their minds to him as he expects and as everyone else does!" Bella replied thoughtfully,

"How on earth do you think Jane the pain is a healer?" Emmett asked confused,

"Carlisle, when she uses her power is she straining or relaxed?" Bella asked holding up a hand to Emmett,

"Strained, whereas Alec is beyond relaxed. Although he uses his hands and she does not, but she says the word pain every time!" Carlisle exclaims, realising, at last, the witch connection.

"She's strained because she has been trained to use her power in reverse. A healer would calmly take the pain away. Her power is spoken, his is hand controlled. What about Chelsea?" Bella now inquired,

"Unspoken and no strain whatsoever!" he replied sadly,

"Then she is actually the most dangerous of the three. A silent assassin!" Jasper said from beside Bella and they all nodded,

"Well let's hope we never have to cross paths with her or them, then!" Esme said bringing Bella a cup of coffee and firmly closing the discussion.

Bella would put all this information into the library tomorrow and it would update the database itself and in addition, work out every other vampire's gift or power from now on. She loved that with magic you only needed to do something once. Now if she looked up Jasper it would say he had the gift of Pathokinesis or Empathy and Peter a cognitive power of the Oracle.

**TCHBTE**

The next couple of weeks alternated between, practising for the 'Wars' and making love. Now that they had committed Jasper and Bella were insatiable. The Cullens had slid seamlessly now into everyday life in Forks. Emmett had his permission to tunnel out to the Sound and he and Peter set to like demented moles and had it done in a couple of days. Anyone that saw them laughed at their antics. As one dug the way forward underground the other ran over-ground, stamping their feet and shouting left a bit or right a bit when they got a reply.

No need for fancy equipment when you're a vampire. It deepened as they reached the coast quite near to La Push. So that the entrance was always underwater and therefore always flooded. It would have to be a horrendous drought to sever the link. Having the tunnel also makes removing the detritus from the area easier for Emmett. He could bring it up and load vans directly inside outbuildings he'd built for storage, out of sight of the house.

Peter and Charlotte ever the wanderers were staying for the games and then off for a jaunt around their various properties. They knew they were always welcome in Forks and would visit often, but they were nomads at heart and had no wish to be tied down. No-one needed to ask them to keep Forks a secret, their sire, who Peter thought of as a brother and Char more like a brother-in-law lived here and that would seal their lips forever.

Soon the day of the 'Wars' dawned and everyone gathered in the centre of Forks by the pond to hear the rules and cheer on their friends and favourite team. The spectator's and council could watch the team on a live link, but none of the other teams could see what the competition was doing. Each team had a fairy with them who was filming them and relaying any information from the adjudicators.

Theste was paired with Jasper and Bella and it was her first games since she came of age. She, it turned out was actually Princess Theste. Being Selente's younger sister, therefore Edward's new sister-in-law and it was apparent she had a little crush on him. Jasper smirked to himself, she'd learn, Edward was changed yes, but fundamentally he was still Edward.

By the end of the day, her allegiance would have changed and her focus would now be firmly on Jasper. He was just being himself, but that was all it took. Ever the gentleman and innately kind man it was what drew the ladies to him. Bella found the whole thing amusing to start with but you could never turn your back on a fairy,

"Don't eat or drink anything she offers you for goodness sake, its how they court you. You'll end up like Edward if you do and I'll kill you both!" Bella whispered and he had the feeling she meant it.

"Don't worry darlin', I have eyes only for you" he whispered back before purposely kissing her in full view of Theste and all of Forks.

It was a fast-paced game, people popping up left right and centre. But with her shield and Jasper's speed, nobody got any hits on them. They, on the other hand, had splattered almost everyone with a myriad of childish hexes. Bella was getting so carried away she was even trying out some of the Harry Potter ones and damned if the didn't work! That confused Julie to begin with until someone realised what she'd done.

"Bella, no illegal hexes!" A booming voice said over the tannoy system, "Come see me tomorrow and we'll see if they can be incorporated into our style and register them!"

Jasper laughed and Bella shrugged as if to say it was worth a try. Their points were amended for the half dozen she'd done. But it wasn't much because they were spoken and hand-controlled. They took a couple of breaks throughout the day for Bella to eat and drink. Jasper touched nothing, terrified to even get a crumb on him as Theste was watching him closely.

"If you eat somethin' fairy, what will happen?" he asked when they were alone for a few moments,

"Nothing, I'm the wrong gender. But no kissing till I've cleaned my teeth, just in case she's spiked it all!" she replied and now he was more worried, these fairies were tenacious.

"Is there a shortage of males in their world?" he asked,

"No, they just like variety. You know the old saying don't you?" she giggled back to him and he huffed glad she was finding it funny.

But what he didn't know was Bella had him shielded, also had a couple of protection spells on him and an antidote in her pocket. If it's administered within three minutes he would be okay. This was her mate and she was not letting anyone steal him away. Fairies saw any unmarried male as fair game and Bella was going to remedy that very soon. They had no reason to wait now they knew she wouldn't go bad when turned.

Unknown to her, Peter and Jasper had been away at Seattle doing some serious jewellery shopping less than two days ago. He intended to ask her tonight to be his wife, but now thought during the games would send a signal to everyone that he and she were well and truly taken. He nodded to himself, yes at the award ceremony when all eyes would be on her that's when he'd do it.

It was a cosmic witch's engagement ring, which showed the lunar cycle of the planets and wrapped the finger. Charlie had pointed the way after he'd asked him for his blessing and they had gone to the trading post on Kellogg Island. He had it in his pocket now and was getting more and more excited as the day started to wind down. They were going to be the clear winners this year and he knew that would make Bella very happy.

**TCHBTE**

"I'm bored Aro! Find me, someone, to kill or something. I care not" Caius whined and Aro shook his head in disgust,

If he kept this up there would be no one left but vampires to kill. Almost all other supernaturals were in hiding, trying to avoid Caius' rampages. He had just recently decimated Russia and now he was bored again. Sometimes Aro wished he had never turned Caius, but he'd needed a bloody thirsty killer back then, but not now. Now he was becoming a liability, Marcus refused to be in the same room as him unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Enough Caius! When will you understand you can't just keep on killing? What's next other vampires, then us until you're alone on the planet! Grow up and shut up" Aro snapped at the petulant child king,

"You always say that! You always spoil my fun!" he shouted stomping out of the room and Marcus flitted in as he left,

"Aro, we can't keep this up! Do you realise the Volturi are hiding more species than they are themselves! Why do we tolerate him? Kill the fool and be done with it before he brings us all down with him" Marcus whispered to his brother,

"I know, I know!" was all Aro said and if he'd known what was to come he would have struck Caius down where he stood not five minutes ago.

A delegation from the witches was about to descend on the Volturi to complain about their dual menace. Well, what they thought was a menace, but in reality, it was something they both feared. Vampire/Witch hybrids, one because they didn't understand their strength and the other because they did. But Caius was about to make that all immaterial by his stupidity.

**TCHBTE**

They were in the last hour of the games and Bella and Jasper were clear winners already. His excitement was starting to radiate out of him and they were barely attacking anyone anymore. They were now ambling slowly towards the town centre. He kept hugging her and kissing her hand, her face, her lips and she was laughing radiantly, buoyed up by his projections. Even Treste had stopped trying to ensnare him as aggressively; she too was infected by his happiness.

The siren to end the games sounded and everyone returned once more to the pond. There was much hilarity and back-slapping, possibly egged on by that excited, nervous energy of Jasper's. As the third-place winners were announced Jasper steadied himself, he'd never asked someone to marry him before. He was starting to second guess himself as the second place was announced.

That was until he caught his brother's thumbs-up signal and he relaxed a little. Peter was never wrong, so he knew now, she would say yes. Their names were announced as the outright winners and Bella pulled him forward to receive the trophy. He barely heard the speech Romain made, watched lovingly as Bella graciously accepted it on their behalf and as she turned to him he dropped to one knee.

A hush fell over Forks as everyone held their collective breaths. It had been many years since a couple had declared themselves in the witch community.

"Darlin', I love everythin' about you. The way you laugh, the way you put everyone before yourself, except in competitions it appears!" he said and the crowd sniggered, he was right,

Jasper took her hand in his, as the other held out the beautiful ring that twinkled in the evening light.

"Bella, will you be mine for eternity, will you marry me?" he asked he sweetly and she smiled,

Tears were running down her face, happy tears of course. He always knew exactly what to say and when to say it she thought as she to dropped to her knees,

"Yes, yes Jasper it would be my privilege and my honour to be your wife" she replied as their lips met and he slid the ring firmly onto her finger,

The crowd broke into thunderous applause and Bella blushed slightly as she to pulled a box from her pocket. It had been there all day next to the antidote, as she searched for the right moment.

"Since we're already down here Major," she said opening it to reveal a tree root ring with a small jasper stone the colour of his eyes, embedded in it.

Jasper threw his head back and laughed heartily, she was his perfect match. He held out his hand to her and she slipped on the ring. As they were about to rise Romain cleared his throat silencing the crowd once more.

"As you two have committed to binding yourselves together, I will bind your rings. These rings are a symbol of your unity and as such are now bound only unto you. Never to come off, only death can remove them and by death, I mean final death, not transitional death. If one of you is ever lost the other will find you with the power of these bonded rings" Romain said passing his hand over their rings and Jasper felt it almost lock in place,

Everyone rushed forward now, the women to admire her ring, the men to laugh and joke at his expense. But Jasper was beyond happy, the future he hoped held only good for them. So as one vampire family celebrated a joyous engagement on this side of the world. The ruling family were about to be thrown into chaos on the other.

**TCHBTE**

If everyone hadn't been at the games and then Bella's impromptu engagement party, then someone might have seen or heard the book in the archive shudder and shake. Several fell to the floor and many new ones appeared. Several greyed out, meaning the death of the person mentioned on the pages. A war was coming, but not just for the people of Forks, but for the whole supernatural world as they all knew it.

Two men had brought Armageddon down on them all, one with his need to kill for nothing but sport and his growing madness. The other with his arrogance at assuming he could control the monster, his brother had become at his request. It would only come to light the following day when Bella went to the archives to update them on her information about the Volturi from the other day.

Horror was the only reaction one could describe, by looking at Bella Swan's face the next morning. Something monumental had occurred, but what? She quickly set off the alarm that brought all of the witch community running,

"Dear gods of old! Close the boundaries! Warn the other leaders! I believe hell has arrived in the supernatural world and we must defend ourselves against it" Romain said taking charge and sending envoys to the other Fae,

"What has happened? What's going on?" Alina asked her husband,

"I don't know yet, but I sense danger and hatred will cause widespread fear" he replied and all were stunned,

"If I may Sir? I just got a picture of what has happened. Caius Volturi has killed a delegation of witches within the walls of Volterra, it should have been a safe place, as set down in their treaty. They were there to discuss vampire/witch hybrids of all things. He rampaged through the place killing everyone including your head of the world council of witches Sebastian Le Sorcière! This leaves a void, which will be filled by a known vampire hater Armand Milfoil!

Aro was unable to control his brother or the ensuing chaos. Marcus has fled into hiding, with Heidi and Renata. I think he knows more about powers than we assumed. Volterra is barricaded up now to keep all out, but it is useless against magic. Caius is chained in the dungeon, finally having gone completely insane. But the witches want war and the destruction of all vampires!" Peter said quietly, but everyone heard him.

This was worse than any could imagine, living there in a small rural community with little or no ties to the larger supernatural world. It was scary and unthinkable to them, that miles away one fool could bring destruction to them all. They felt helpless in the face of such stupidity and wanton destruction. Aro Volturi's arrogance was coming back to bite them all.

Jasper and Bella decided if this was their ends of days then they would die together and married. So while the world held their breath in anticipation, Forks celebrated the joining of the two warring races by the marriage of Belladonna Mariette Swein and Major Jasper Whitlock. He was unsure about changing her now, but she held firm and said nothing and no one had the right to stand in the way of their future.

So it was decided that on the night of their marriage Jasper would turn his bride and she would become the world's first-ever Elemental witch/vampire hybrid with a shield. Having two witch powers had already set her apart. Now she would possess the strength of a vampire to add to her already full arsenal. In truth, she would become not only the strongest witch but the strongest vampire too.


	8. The Winds Of War

Unlike a normal human wedding, a witch one takes absolutely no preparation. You just say when and where and someone else casts a spell or two and there you have it. It's truly all an elaborate illusion, kind of a metaphor for life, really. The most important part is the joining of the two souls who are coming together at that time. The is no walking down the aisle as such, Charlie just removes Bella's cloak and everyone see's her in a diaphanous silver-grey gown.

The gown itself became a rendering of her powers, as she moves flames, lightning, waves of water and gusts of wind pass across its surface. The couple were barefoot as they walk forward holding hands tightly and Jasper is in a plain grey shirt and black pants. Romain waves a hand laconically and candles burst into light around them all, adding a warm glow to the evening light.

While Jasper and Bella step forward to stand within a ring of salt that wards off evil from their nuptials, Romain recites ancient words of marriage and bonding. They are hand-fasted as well as giving and receiving wedding bands. It's a blend of the old and the new, the past and the present. Timeless, but never standing still. Like magic it is fluid and ever-changing, there is no right or wrong, no set pattern.

Only the words of the coven's elder remain unchanged. But unlike any other witch wedding, the guests are not witches alone. This is the true power of Forks; all species are there to celebrate with their friends in the centre of the town. They may not understand the words, but they feel the heartfelt vows, they see the love between the two involved.

As the ceremony come to a close they all feel the power flowing from the ground, surrounding the couple. They all sense the greatness, the divine in the air as the gods of old and new bless the union of a witch and a vampire. The rightness of the event leaves them all feeling lighter, happier and more confident of the future for the supernatural world.

In the crowd Carlisle raises his eyes to the sky, this might not be his religion, but it surely is a Hallelujah moment. He feels the importance of the event and the three before him, Romain, Jasper and Bella. They will be the main protagonists, in whatever the future brings! He feels awed by his epiphany and catching Peter's eye, sees the other vampire nod at him.

Jasper had possibly seen hundreds of humans changing into vampires and knew roughly what to expect. No two were identical, but they all followed a similar routine, this was however totally different. After the wedding, they had spent a couple of hours celebrating with their friends and families. They eventually snuck away to be alone together and after a passionate joining Bella told him to change her.

"Are you sure darlin', we have time?" he asked concerned for his mate,

"No, the time is right. I feel it in my bones!" she replied holding him tightly, as if afraid he'd run from her.

So with a prayer on his lips he did as she asked and bit her neck, then to hopefully speed up the process he also bit her wrists and ankles. He was soon to find out they were not necessary and this would be a changing like none he'd ever seen before. Firstly her shield engaged, stopping him from touching her and then a show that could be nothing but magical began.

As she writhed on the bed silently, but most definitely in pain. Her powers started to roll over her body, not actually touching just hovering above. Lightning, wind, fire and water, repeating over and over. Every once in a while one flared more than the others and then back to the steady routine of lightning, wind, fire and water. It was mesmerising to watch, but he tried not to be distracted and kept talking to her as she changed.

Then after about twelve hours, it changed to each element filling the shield and obscuring her from his sight for a moment or two. It seemed longer to him as his fear picked up, but when the water filled the bubble around her he could see clearly that it wasn't actually touching her at all. Unable to resist Jasper laid his hands on her shield and tried to send her his love, finally resting his forehead against it and talking calmly to her.

Once more things changed and now the water moved around the shield sinuously until it reaches the place his head was and stopped, returned the other way and again on reaching him stopped. Likewise, the fire did the same, but he couldn't tell with the wind and lightning, but neither touched where his head was. This continued for several hours until it changed once again and now each element ran simultaneously towards him and back again, wrapping around Bella as it passed her.

Jasper could see that Bella was changing quickly within her shield, her hair was longer and had highlights of gold, silver, blue and green, in fact, every could of the rainbow was there. But they blended and were only seen as she moved her head. Later they would see when she used her powers the coordinating colour would glow slightly.

They had just reached the twenty-four hours mark when her eyes opened and she stared up at the ceiling. Jasper slid up her shield not breaking contact to look down on her, they were blue, ice blue with a ring of vibrant red! Then she blinked and they were golden orange, still with the red. He realised she was cycling though the colour of her powers with every blink until she stopped on pure red and moved her eyes to look at him.

"Hey darlin', I think you're almost done," he said smiling at her and she sighed and for the first time he heard it her heart racing, then silence.

Bella had closed her eyes again and arched off the bed when the final assault on her heart reached its peak and then collapsed back and released her shield, almost causing Jasper to fall on top of her. He caught himself just in time, not wanting to scare her. But she reached out for him and pulled him down to her lips, kissing him with fervour.

"How long?" she asked as they parted,

"Twenty-five hours! The shortest and strangest change I've ever seen" he said kissing her forehead.

**TCHBTE**

To say everyone was shocked the following day would be an understatement. No one expected her to change so quickly, well except Cah'mel and Peter. She had taken thirty-nine hours herself and he of course, just knew! Shelly Cope was waiting patiently for her when the news of her quick change arrived in town. As the head potion maker, she'd been supplying the Cullens with an alternative to even animal blood and for Bella, she had something a little more special.

It was the same blood substitute, but with added elemental energy. She had extracted it from several sources to enhance the potion for the new witch/vampire hybrid. This would feed both sides of her nature and until she could fully harness her own way of doing it. This was a great help to Bella and she was touched by the other witch's kindness.

The self-appointed leaders of the American witch council were angry! Armand Milfoil was a warmonger; his personal hatred of vampires was well known. But this was worse, he expected them to come all the way from America and die to save those in Europe. There were hundreds of witches living there, shouldn't they be in the front line to die for their homelands first.

So they declined saying they have vampires here too and they would defend here first and foremost! They were not the only ones to refuse the call, all-seeing the perceived insult and disliking it immensely. Armand was no leader, he had been Sebastian Le Sorcière's worse critic, but did not have the experience or length of age to back up his hastily thought out plans.

The intense hatred of vampire race was his only motivation and that made him a next to useless leader. So instead of organisation, began the infighting. Meanwhile, both sides started picking off each other in random attacks. There was no control, no leadership just chaos and the humans were starting to notice something strange was happening around them.

America was in an uproar and their own witch leadership called into questioning. Were they just trying to save their own skins at the cost of their brethren worldwide? It appears they could talk the talk, but obviously not walk the walk. The fighting hadn't even broken out here yet. It was with a heavy heart Romain called a new meeting of every species in Forks, he had come to a very hard decision.

"I was once the ruler of the European witch council, it was long, long ago and I retired with Alina to come here to America due to being sickened by the inequality around us. That was when we eventually stumbled upon the fledgeling community here in Forks. Here we made friends and broke down all the barriers the others refused to contemplate. We are all supernaturals, why then are we enemies? The greed of the few that's why!

Aro Volturi has been the vampire leader for too long and he has become power-crazed. Sebastian Le Sorcière became a weak ruler cow-towing to the other races. But their worst faults were not accepting the original Fae or the new ones. We are human-based and they all thought us superior, better! How wrong they were.

They can barely stand each other, yet the original Fae have integrated with all who have come to them for millennia. Bella, please check the archives, my dear. Tell me who the oldest living witch in America is?" he said with a powerful voice, Bella returned smiling,

"You Romain, you are!" she said smiling with an understanding of where he was going.

"Then I Romain Octaff, being the oldest living witch male or female in America take my rightful place as Supreme Wicche of America and all its dominions. Therefore as of now, my word is the new law!" he chanted a few indecipherable lines and the ground gently shook and everyone stared at him in awe.

In many parts of the USA, there were gasps of horror and some of relief as their supernatural indexes flew open at the page depicting the name of Romain Octaff. The ruling council dropped their heads in shame, knowing it had only been a matter of time before he took control due to their incompetence; their own laws enabled him to see everything they had done for all these years.

They could never find him; some had thought his end of days had come. But his name had never darkened in the books and they now knew he was not only alive but also in charge of them all. They scurried to rectify some of their wrongs but found themselves locked out of all the important documentation and books. The sacred relics and other powerful antiquities had disappeared, forever outwith their reach. To coin a phrase 'They were screwed!'

**TCHBTE**

Romain then took the unprecedented step of declaring amnesty on all witch/vampire hybrids; it hit the books around the land immediately. Feeling that it would be better to have them recognised he called on Bella and Cah'mel, telling them the witch council of America recognised them as a species apart from this day forth. They had the right to rule themselves and be free in the eyes of all witches.

But he was sure the WV hybrids would very wary and they would want a place of their own, somewhere safe from both sides when this was all over. It would be up to them where that was!Neither was sure that was the right thing, they didn't want to displace anyone. Just give them a sense of belonging to something bigger, but not necessarily a new home. When more hybrids came forward it could be discussed then.

Bella, much to her dislike, was named head of the new council of Witch Vampires until a conclave could be set up and these matters discussed. She took it a step further and asked the archive to instigate a new register of these hybrids, dead or alive which for now only she and Cah'mel could access. Not that she didn't trust her friends in Forks, but rather other witches further afield. Besides she needed to know which dealt in the dark arts, they would be the most dangerous.

Bella also wanted the Sirens and the Succubae to join; they too were Witch Vampires even though they couldn't practice magic. Her first call would be to Denali and the three sisters; they should be involved and afforded the same rights. Then if she could find Heidi Volturi, maybe she would like a safe place too. Just at a glance, there were hundreds of them, many with no witch training as they were turned before they were aware of their heritage.

But here at home first and worry about the rest of the world as they went along because she didn't even want to think about the infamous witch twins! As each one joined them, they to could access the register once their intentions were known. The reason for having deceased Witch Vampires in it was two-fold. One to recognise and honour them and two to see exactly who killed them, if that's how they died.

She was putting her money on the Volturi for most of them, Caius in particular! But the witch council would also have a tally no doubt. So to date, the Witches of America had a new leader, the Witch Vampires too; all that was left was the Vampires! That might be the most difficult problem, she knew who. But would he agree? How do you convince a vampire who doesn't want power, to take it for the good of everyone else?

**TCHBTE**

Romain was pacing back and forward, he had many decisions to make and his choices were slim. A full council needed to be called and the bad seeds removed. No way did he want them in Forks, so it would have to be Seattle but where. He was regaling Bella and Jasper with his thoughts, the getting of everyone there was easy. Kellogg Island would be the gateway. When Jasper offered him a place.

"I have a penthouse suite in Seattle; I used it as a getaway from Alice's attentions, as did Rose and Emmett to be out of Edward's hearin'! Would that suffice? Bella and I could transport there and air it out for you" he said and Romain nodded thanking him,

"Want to introduce Bella to them and as she can shield herself I see no problems. I presume you to would want to be there for her?" Romain asked, already knowing Jasper's answer.

"I'll be close as will Peter and Charlotte, just in case anyone gets the wrong idea and tries anything foolish!" Jasper informed him,

"Bell a tell your father to be ready, I'm training him to take my place one day. If the only way to make peace is to handpick the teams, then so be it!" Romain said sighing; he never wanted to be here again, but needs must and all that malarkey.

So the following day a summons was sent to the old council, they would be required to attend a meeting in Seattle the day after that. Bella, Jasper, Charlotte and Peter headed off to Seattle to make sure all was secure and safe at the penthouse. It wouldn't do for other vampires to stumble across the witches and cause trouble, but everything seemed okay.

They decided to stay over and have a night out before the proverbial shit hit the fan. Jasper had a feeling the council would not take kindly to Bella at all. She was a rare enough thing being a vampire who had powers and could still use her magic. They were more used to vampires who hadn't known they were witches first, therefore had powers yes, but no training in how to really use them. She would be there greatest fear.

The three vampires thought it was weird that before they had barely seen a witch, but since coming to Forks could spot them a mile away. Bella said vampires were less prevalent here too. But for some unknown reason, Seattle was crawling with both tonight, so the old witch council had a leak and a mole! They were either the same person or were both working for themselves and out to cause trouble for Romain.

They were just leaving a nightclub when they heard a fight breaking out in the alley beside it. A vampire and a witch were facing off, trading insults and looked ready to attack. Jasper moved in to stop the fight between them, telling them to get a grip they were not enemies. That the enemy was Caius Volturi and his brother Aro as they caused this chaos and nobody else.

The vampire wouldn't listen, asking Jasper who was in the shade,

"Who the hell are you? You can't interfere with my kill!" the arrogant obviously young vampire demanded,

"I'm your worst nightmare boy! Now back off before I make you" Jasper growled stepping into the light and showing off his scars to the immature fool,

"I'd listen to the Major son, he don't suffer fools gladly!" Peter said stepping up behind him and blocking his escape.

He glanced around wildly, before looking skyward and both he and the witch looked ready to bolt. Bella placed shields around both stopping them going anywhere. The witch tried in vain to teleport away but Bella's shield stopped him in his tracks.

"Who are you? What does it matter to you, if I kill one measly witch? You're all vampires!" the idiot shouted,

"I'm not! He has as much right to live as you do!" Bella replied and the witch male stared at her and gasped,

"Hybrid!"

"I prefer the term, Witch Vampire thanks all the same" Bella said smiling at them both.

"You two are comin' with us! Tomorrow as you both seem to be aware of, is the meetin' of the witch council. They can deal with you, and I will deal with you!" Jasper said looking from the witch first to the vampire and shaking his head.

Without further ado, Bella transported everyone to the penthouse and on the roof placed the two fools in cages of elemental fire to stop them from going anywhere. They would be safe as long as they didn't touch it she warned them. It was obvious to them now, that someone on the council wanted a war between the two sides here in America too. Why they would find out tomorrow hopefully. The two couples sat in companionable silence for the rest of the night waiting for the others to arrive at dawn.

**TCHBTE**

"Charlie, I want you to be head of security for now. There is a lot going on and corruption appears to be rife. We have to nip this all in the bud before war breaks out here too. It's a powder keg, just waiting to blow" Romain told the younger man,

Bella and her father went around the penthouse adding hexes and spells to stop any unauthorised entry or exit. When everyone was here Bella would place a shield over them too for added security. The two fighters were brought down and placed in separate rooms until needed. Everyone would appear on the roof and be led down by Charlie.

Any, who didn't show would be guilty by their own deeds. As the last council member was ushered in Bella who was waiting in the next room placed a shield over the place. No one would hear, see or interrupt the proceedings. The three vampires waited with Bella, she was nervous, but not scared. This was the start of a new dawn for the supernatural. The old and corrupt regime would be stripped of power and Romain would begin his rule with a clean house.

"Thank you all for coming, now tell me this! Why have you all spent the last few decades terrorising and degrading a few Witch Vampires? Instead of trying to broker peaceful treaties with the other more powerful supernaturals, you have wasted time and energy persecuting a few random witches turned vampire! Where is the benefit of this? What good has it done you?" Romain asked and they all bristled and muttered loudly,

"Travis, as the old leader of the council, what have you to say for yourself?" Romain asked pinning the man with a disgusted stare,

"They were becoming a menace" started to say more but Romain yelled,

"Liar! They are all mainly in hiding, both from you and Caius Volturi. For instance Camille Lahote, you've been hunting her for how long? She scared of the vampires and for that, you hounded her for eighty more years. You should have been thanking her for sending Caius scuttling back to Italy! You are a disgrace to Wicche kind!" he said angrily before sitting at the head of the table where they all sat.

"I want you all to understand, there will be no war here in the new world! Those fools walked into the lion's den and cried foul when they are eaten. Witches do not bow to the demands of vampires, why were they even there? We will not be following their example, but showing them a new one. With that said I'd like to introduce to you the new leader of the Witch Vampire council. Belladonna Mariette Swein was her witch name, she is now known as Isabella Whitlock!" he said before calling Bella through,

They all watched her with varying degrees of disgust, anger and hatred. Bella didn't flinch, but her eyes did cycle her powers and that made them all sit up and take notice,

"She was a practising witch?" Travis asked Romain and the old man snorted,

"She's before you! Being a vampire didn't addle her brain, it enhanced it, Travis! Unlike you obviously, she has manners and I demand you all give her respect,

"She's a child!" one of the others said,

"I may be young in years, yes, but I have had good guidance and teachings. My path may be arduous, but it is my path none the less" Bella said politely.

"Swein you said? A relation of yours Karlis?" another asked,

"It's Charlie and yes, Bella is my daughter and Romain's goddaughter. She was a skilled witch and had been a benefit to our community for many years as archivist and historian" Charlie said with pride and Bella winked at her father.

"You were an elemental witch young one?" someone now asked,

"Was and still am! My powers have not changed, but are more enhanced" Bella replied smoothly,

"Your sire?" asked another,

"My mate and husband, we married before my change," she said slowly knowing this would alarm them,

"The gods allowed this union?" Travis queried, Romain nodded smiling,

"They did and I myself performed the ritual," he said now.

"Your husband is who exactly?" came a slimy voice from the end of the table,

"Ah, Gerard! He is Jasper Whitlock" Charlie replied, not hiding his dislike, of the snake of a man,

"Major Whitlock? The God of War? The most reviled vampire in America?" the slimy voice said now, trying no doubt to cause trouble.

"Yes, he was once known by both of those names. Now his is just Jasper Whitlock of the Olympic Coven under the leadership of Carlisle Cullen" Bella said keeping her cool and not letting the slime-ball annoy her.

"The animal drinker? He is an animal drinker now?" asked a small petite witch who had said nothing so far until now.

Bella nodded and turned her head slightly, stretching her arm back with her hand open. Jasper stepped into the room and the council all gasped in fear.


	9. Arrogance & Hatred

**A/N: Thanks everyone, this story has passed 10,000 hits & 'Fate' cleared 60,000 xx Sorry it's a little shorter, but I'm just setting it up for a battle and it won't be the Volturi for once xx Alexis**

* * *

As Jasper cautiously entered the room he could feel the malice and loathing battering him for all sides, which was absurd. He had never had dealings with witches before going to Forks, humans yes and other vampires most definitely. Their fear he would have understood but this blind hatred made no sense. He knew the council of witches had had their headquarters in Maine for years, longer then he'd been a vampire. So it wasn't as if he'd caused them personal harm.

"Gentlemen, Ma'am!" he said nodding, slowly altering the levels of distrust and animosity in the room, to a more manageable setting.

"Romain! You would bring these abominations before us? We are the Witch Council of America!" Gerard spits out loudly,

"You were the Witch Council of America, you mean! I pick the new Council! I choose those fit to lead us and you Gerard are showing yourself up to be a small-minded, petty being not fit to hold office!" Romain stated with equal distaste,

The fool jumped to his feet and before he knew what's happening Charlie had him pinned to the wall. He'd heard the small intake of Bella's breath and the barely spoken word curse, it galvanised him into action.

"You would attempt to curse the Supreme Wicche of America, are you insane?" Charlie spat in the confused man's face,

"He can't understand how you were aware of an unspoken curse?" Jasper said quietly, still drawing all eyes to him

"I didn't, Bella felt it on her shield and I reacted to her shock. Never underestimate the bond between a father and his daughter Gerard!" Charlie said as he bound the fool's power.

"Well Travis, so this is your legacy! The most bigoted, self-gratifying Council since the humans at Salem!" Romain said sadly, knowing to a witch that was the worst insult ever,

"You're being a little harsh don't you think Romain?" the lone female on the council said,

"No Cathleen, I don't! You have not only a zealot among you but a mole. So who is it? I assume Gerard is the one setting witches loose on the vampires now in Seattle. But who, I wonder informed the vampires of our very private meeting?" he asked in a deathly cold tone.

"What?" demanded Travis, his surprise alone showing his innocence, he was a fool, a bad leader. But not a traitor.

"In the next room, we have a witch and a vampire who were about to kill each other last night. They would have succeeded too if the Major hadn't put a stop to it. Seattle is crawling with both sides just waiting to start a war the humans wouldn't be able to miss!" Charlie replied annoyed,

"We spent the whole night warding the city to stop as much trouble as we could. I have their names and the name of their covens. It won't take long to find out unless one of you wants to admit their guilt? The vampires were harder to deal with, but luckily we had three vampires on hand and a witch vampire as well!" Romain said, before shouting for Peter and Charlotte to bring in the prisoners.

"Here we are your supremeness!" Peter said, with his usual lack of respect for the solemnity of the proceedings, and then smirking at Jasper and Bella said,

"Daddy, mommy dearest and mommy's daddy of course!"

"Shut up Captain!" Jasper warned, trying to keep the humour out of his tone,

"Sir, yes Sir! Shuttin' up now" he saluted Jasper and took up his position off his right shoulder.

Romain shook his head and turned to Charlotte,

"You have my deepest sympathy, my dear," he said smiling and Peter huffed but said nothing, wisely enough.

Two or three on the council who had as yet said nothing watched Romain's interaction with the vampire's and the hybrid. Had they been misinformed all these years, were not all bloodthirsty monsters? These two newer ones had red eyes but were not in the least interested in anyone here's blood! They were still feeling the sting of the Salem slur.

"Romain, as archive keeper up until your assent. I told them all repeatedly, not all was black and white in our world! But I was shushed and pushed aside by both Travis and Gerard constantly. I'll admit I gave up trying eventually" one older witch said sadly.

"Yes, I know the feeling Thomas! That's why I retired from the European council. You can only bang your head on a brick wall for so long!" Romain said nodding at the man,

Just about then the vampire prisoner was getting antsy and decided he wasn't going to listen to these old fools talking all day. He really wasn't the brightest tool in the shed and had yet to grasp who these vampires were. Yes, he saw the scars but didn't actually know what they meant, possibly they were just useless fighters, and he neither knew nor cared. Ah, the folly of youth, the vampire wars meant nothing to them!

**TCHBTE**

Right about now Aro was reaping the benefits of an 'I told you so' moment. He of course once again hadn't listened to Marcus and now their world, his rule was in tatters. Caius had gone completely insane, killing every witch who had attending the meeting and had been chained up in the dungeons by Alec. They themselves had retreated to the lower levels. Hoping that when the witches arrived they could at least avoid the ones who needed line of sight to cast their spells.

Marcus had fled with Renata and Heidi, leaving Aro feeling exposed. He had even brought the wives down to the lower castle to hopefully keep them safe. He'd sent Afton, Santiago, Demetri and Felix out to find them help! But from all accounts, almost everyone was in hiding or just outright refusing to aid them. It was all unravelling right before his eyes. Why had he not listened to the many times Marcus warned him about Caius? Because he was arrogant and thought he knew better, that's why!

For the first time, Aro realised money and power meant absolutely nothing. He did not hold the hearts and minds of his people, they feared the twins not him. His whole lifestyle was due to three people and they were here with him for now. How long before they too abandoned him to his fate? This was all new to him, this feeling of fear, he hated it! But not as much as he now hated Caius.

**TCHBTE**

Everyone in Forks was worried but went about their lives as best they could until they heard from Romain and the others. They didn't care that three of the six were vampires or that one was a hybrid. No, they worried about them all equally and that was what separated Forks from the rest of the supernatural world. They had the ability to transcend boundaries, erase perceived differences. Occasionally they lost sight of the specialness that was Forks, but on the whole, they were one very large, very strange family.

Cah'mel had taken over from Bella temporarily and it was she who received the call from Denali. The three sisters and Eleazar wished to discuss this new species that they apparently belonged to. She spoke with Alina and Old Quill and they agreed they should be allowed to come and asked Carlisle and Esme to house them for now. So with Carmen and Garrett in tow, the Denali's set off for Forks and hopefully some answers. The woman of Forks braced themselves and the single men were delighted.

They were ready to embrace the two single succubus females with open arms. Alina was working with all the other leaders, just in case, they had to make Forks disappear temporarily. It had been done before, not here but in Europe many times. Small villages had hidden themself away in a time of great strife and upheaval. The humans had somehow found out about one in particular and not truly believing, said it was folklore and they had made a romantic musical about it many years ago.

But these things were real and doable, hard to bring about, but with the right spells yes, it could happen. Romain hoped that this would be a last resort, but Forks was too precious to allow the larger supernatural world to destroy them. It worked along the same lines as the hiding of the trading post, but with the added spells to make everyone, even witches forget it ever existed! It would just disappear into the ether and all who once knew of it would quickly forget it was ever there.

**TCHBTE**

"I demand you let me go! You have no right to hold me! I'm a vampire for God sake, how dare you treat me this way!" the puffed-up arrogant fool spouted off at his captors,

"What's your name child? Who is your sire?" Jasper asked with deadly calm and everyone could almost feel the change in the atmosphere in the room,

"I don't need to tell you anything, I answer to no one!" he said with complete conviction, sure in his rights as a higher species,

"I asked you what your name was!" Jasper said applying mental pressure on the young untrained fool,

It took seconds to bring the idiot to his knees, now shaking with fear. He was beginning to see that he wasn't that strong or that important. Juan had lied; his sire wasn't the strongest vampire out there, not by a long shot.

"Mark, its Mark!" he whimpered,

"Your sire now?" Jasper said and his eyes were turning black,

"Juan Ricardo, his name it Juan Ricardo" the idiot blubbed,

The witches all watched with mounting fear. Jasper wasn't even touching the young vampire, yet he had him almost in a foetal position on the floor.

"Where is your coven and why are you here in Seattle?" he now asked and the other two vampires straightened up, the Major had arrived.

"New York! He sent us to cause trouble" the cringing fool, panted now,

"Last question boy, who told him the Witch Council, would be here?" Jasper asked, loading the vampire with the need to unburned himself to them all,

"Him! He told Juan! He's related to Juan's mate!" he replied, pointing to a witch right at the back of the room,

"Why Leon?" Travis yelled, hardly believing that his own protégé would do this,

"She's my great grandmother!" was all he said, his head down and shoulders dropped in relief that everyone now knew.

Everyone understood the pull of family loyalties, respecting you elders and doing their bidding. The young man had been caught between a rock and a hard place. Maybe if his mentor had been more approachable or understanding, he could have sought his help. He had been asked to only spy and inform them of important decisions. But life was full of what-ifs! Romain nodded and Charlie bound his power as well.

Jasper was standing stock still, struggling slightly to return to his peaceful self once again. Bella stepped closer and laid her hand gently on his back. The witches watched with fascination as his eyes once more became golden, as the black leeched away. This was a phenomenon they had never seen before. Vampires who had control of themselves were totally alien to the witches or at least to what they had been taught about them.

Peter had a flash of inspiration and whispered his idea in Jasper's ear. Basically, he wondered if the witches could use their magic he broadcast Jasper's voice at vampire levels across Seattle. He would tell them all to return to New York. Tell them to inform Juan Ricardo that Seattle was under the jurisdiction of Major Jasper Whitlock. And finally, if any were still here after nightfall he would burn them where they stood, no questions asked or answered.

A couple of passing nomads heard the announcement when it arrived and basically high tailed it out of there as fast as they could. Others asked why their hurry, who was this Major Whitlock?

"Damn you newbie's know nothing! He's the vampire that gives other vampires nightmares! He can take you down without touching you and if you have the misfortune to have to fight him, you will lose. He's never lost a fight and has the scars to prove it. Tell your leaders, he is the bogeyman, his other title is 'The God of War'!" one of the nomads said as they packed up their stuff quickly and headed out.

That's when everyone found out Seattle was under the protection of the God of War. Many had only believed he was a story, invented to frighten newborns. The exodus was swift and within thirty minutes no vampires were within the cities limits, except for Jasper Peter, Charlotte, Bella and the prisoner Mark. He would be taking a personal message to his coven leader.

"Tell Juan, Aro's fight is his own. America should not be gettin' involved. That fool kept his killer on too loose a leash and that has nothin' to do with us. We will not be allowin' a war between the witches and vampires to come here and he better recognise Witch Vampires since he's mated to one. Tell him if he doesn't agree with any of this, well then, he can take it up with me personally!" Jasper said, accepting that he was now about to become de facto leader of the vampire race in America.

The news spread like wildfire, it swept across the United States and beyond. Not only had the God of War told everyone to stand down in the Volturi's fight. But he had put a ban on attacking witches or hybrids too. The once most deadly of fighters was advocating for a peaceful coexistence in the future. Nobody was stupid enough to believe he'd gone soft over the years. But that it was a logical, tactical stance, one that would keep them all alive and at home.

**TCHBTE**

Marcus Volturi was laying low in Britain. With Heidi's help, he was keeping an ear to the ground. She being a siren had an uncanny way of getting information from anyone she wanted. Marcus always thought Aro wasted her talents; she was so much more than a fisherman. He had left word, well a codeword for Alistair. He knew the wily old fox would get it and hopefully be in touch soon.

The Americans were right he did know all about Gifts and Powers. It was his own that made it obvious to him. Unlike others, he could show Aro only what he wanted to show him. Aro, the fool had assumed it had evolved with familiarity, so as not to show him everything every time they touched. But Marcus had to consciously send him information.

Renata as a shield didn't need to worry and as Aro never tried to read Heidi, thinking she had nothing important to tell him, she too was safe. That made her Marcus' ultimate spy, she was everywhere all the time and nobody paid her any attention. She had played the part of a dumb blonde to the hilt. Marcus would have liked to get Afton on his side too, but being as he was Chelsea's mate made it impossible.

Alistair, unlike Demetri, had a power, he needed objects to find people and this made him a diviner. Marcus had spent aeons keeping track of who had a latent witch power and who only had gifts. It was there in London, where they heard about the American Witch Council recognising the new breed of people called Witch Vampires. He knew also they all belonged under that banner and he intended to grasp that option very soon.

If Bella Whitlock was the American leader then he could be the European one and separate himself from Aro and the debacle he had allowed to occur. Over many years he had painstakingly copied many of the books in the Archives. He held the originals here in London in a bank vault, waiting for the time he'd need them to arrive. He, unlike Aro, didn't want to rule the world, just a small part of it.

He knew there would be other more powerful than him, but not as many who commanded respect from the greater community. Renata had long ago placed small bubbles of her shield in their three minds. Keeping Chelsea out and all they did was pretend to be loyal and brain-washed. Easy enough to do and no one as any the wiser, why would they be?

**TCHBTE**

Back in Seattle Romain informed the old Council he would be spreading his net wide looking for new blood for the now-empty positions. Except for Thomas and Cathleen who were reinstated, he as an archivist and she as potions expert. A couple of the others were happy to leave, neither Travis nor Gerard had let them do their jobs properly and they were disenfranchised with the Council because of them.

So it was with a promise to reconvene soon, they all left to go their own ways. Gerard and his lackey, as well as Leon, were not happy when their power was not unbound.

"You must earn it back; you abused your positions and your power. Until I see fit you will do without!" Romain informed the disgruntled trio,

Everyone knew as soon as they left all that had happened here, would be leaked within the witch community and they were okay with that. They had started the ball rolling and now they would have to see what it brought up and from whom! New regimes were never easy and much needed to happen before they could ensure peace for the supernatural community. Many would fight it they knew, but just as many would embrace it with equal fervour.

Jasper and Bella were hoping for a few peaceful days, just for themselves and she was prepared to use magic to make sure it happened.

* * *

**Movie reference** \- Brig O' Doon


	10. Trouble Always Finds Us

As they returned to Forks, everyone was aware that this was the calm before the storm. Romain was scouring the indexes for new blood to join the council. It was a fine line he was treading, traditional, but Denali's had arrived and seemed more than interested in joining the Witch Vampire community. While Carmen and Garrett gave their allegiance to a reluctant Jasper, he was aware he'd taken up the mantle in Seattle.

The news started to filter through, New Orleans in their usual style had a street party to celebrate the tentative peace. They had been living side by side for years and had often come to blows over territory and such like. Las Vegas said as long as they could carry on their businesses, as usual, they didn't care one way or the other, again used to living tooth and jowl with each other. New York had, of course, capitulated in the face of Jasper's threat. In fact, all was going well until they heard from some of the other southern states.

Texas agreed to lay off each other and have a truce, but New Mexico, Arizona and Georgia were a little more resistant. The vampires wanting to know what was in it for them? The witches wished to do the council's bidding, but if the vampires didn't stand down then neither could they! The worst rumblings, of course, were coming out of Mexico itself. Jasper had known this would be a problem, there were far more vampires there than witches. Mexico was all about feeding and they cared for nothing but blood and territory.

The biggest problem was most of the warlords he knew would be dead and replaced several times over. Therefore his name wouldn't carry much weight there either. But those that knew him would spread the word he hoped or just like here he'd have to remind everyone he wasn't dead or a myth. It was funny how that was what he was remembered for and it was also the thing he liked doing least, fighting! It was unfortunate that when he did he was good at it; no he was excellent at it.

It was becoming obvious with the other groups having councils, that was what the vampires had always lacked. They needed a place to vent their grievances, not to their Kings, but their peers, their equals just like everyone else. So with this in mind, Jasper sat down with Carlisle, and they hashed out a rough plan and who should be on the council and why. Plus he knew there would have to be as many women as men. He thought and Carlisle agreed he should ask Carmen, she was level headed and didn't jump in feet first.

Carlisle surprised Jasper by telling him,

"I'm happy to advise you son, but I don't want to be on the council or have a large roll in it. I promised Esme I'd retire so to speak, now we're here I don't need to work anymore. I want to concentrate on writing some medical theories I had and just be with my mate and family"

Rose also asked him for a minor roll in the council's running. She wanted to keep the records and start a comprehensive library, the equivalent of the witches archives,

"Not everything should be locked away in Volterra, we need to know more. How can we follow the rules if we don't really know what they are?" she had told him and he was happy to agree.

When the proverbial shit started to hit the fan, it was not where they all thought it would be. For some strange reason, Chicago was on the brink of all-out war and the humans would be caught in the cross-fire if they didn't stop it sooner rather than later. So with heavy hearts and some trepidation, the three main new leaders headed to the windy city with their back up of Charlie, Peter and Charlotte. Peter was happy Jasper and Bella were married so that his loyalties weren't too divided. Technically he was now a Witch Vampire, but he would always have Jasper's back no matter what.

**TCHBTE**

"Ah Alistair, thank you for answering my call. I don't know where to start! Well, I've obviously left Volterra; I refuse to die for that fool! I also have come to realise we three and yourself, of course, are not mere vampires after all.

The Americans it would seem have taken the lead and have recognised Witch Vampires as a separate species. So in keeping with that, I will be offering myself up as the European leader of this new species. I think the days of one overall leader are gone. One leader on each continent is all we require and then all of them coming together as a council to finalise the rulings might be what we need. I would like you to join me and become my head of security. After all who better than the most elusive former vampire of all time!" Marcus explained to the recalcitrant and surprised man,

"I'll not deny Marcus; I've always felt different from the run of the mill vampire. So what of Aro? Who do you think could replace him? I presume we want him gone!" Alistair asked getting to the point,

"Yes, his days I think as numbered. I would hope that Felix might step up and take control. But I want us to be ready and in place before the twins and Chelsea break free. In charge, they could bring the world to its knees. They need help and guidance especially Jane and Chelsea. Millennia of misusing their powers have taken its toll on their minds. We are the lucky ones; we haven't had our power corrupted by Aro and Caius!" Marcus said with a heavy heart,

"You think she's saveable, Chelsea I mean? Jane and her brother yes, he although using it for evil, hasn't corrupted himself like her. I also see you have given the lovely Heidi her due, that arrogant ass didn't see her potential at all!" Alistair stated plainly.

Marcus knew he was right to call on Alistair; he saw more than others and would be a benefit to their new order. The time was right and they needed to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak.

**TCHBTE**

All was quiet in Italy; Aro was at a loss as what to do. His world was crashing down around his ears and vampires were disappearing from Volterra at an unholy speed. He knew it wasn't witches causing this, but defection. They were the rats leaving the sinking ship, a signal that his reign was over. How could one vampire do all this? Caius would go down in history, not as the great warrior he thought himself. But as the Vampire who tore the supernatural world apart!

Felix, ever the strategist was keeping his finger on the pulse of the world and he saw how things were going. America was leading the way forward and with the three factions being tight it would be easier for them than here in Europe. Yes, Marcus would be the leader of the Witch Vampires, so that was helpful to them. But Armand Milfoil was not a good choice for the witches of the world, that council had to go. But there was hope for the Europeans with Danielle Thurston in control. She was a good woman and had been helpful in the past.

"So Felix, when are you taking charge?" Demetri asked his friend,

"Me! Why do you think I should take charge?" he answered flabbergasted,

"Well, who's the vampire here watching the world events as they unfold? Who's the vampire aiding the others to escape? I've seen you directing them to hide and wait it out or until you call them! Who besides Aro has Ms Thurston and Marcus Volturi on speed dial? Come on man, face it your our best chance of survival. You here, with me by your side and Jasper Whitlock in America, could ensure the survival of the vampire race!" Demetri stated, convinced he was right.

Just then a movement caught their eyes, Alec stood with an unconscious Jane in his arms. He shrugged his shoulders and said,

"I'm assuming we're Witch Vampires now then! So I think it's time we joined Marcus, she's not so sure but I won't lose her. Not after all she's suffered, so I made the decision for her! Could you call Marcus and tell him we're on our way. Give him my number and the rest will be up to him" Alec said in his usual unhurried way,

Felix and Demetri nodded and watched as he started to leave through a hidden passageway,

"Oh and Felix! You would make an excellent leader" he whispered back to the giant of a man he once called a friend.

**TCHBTE**

Chicago was living up to its name as the windy city as the six teleported into Edward's old home. He had come rushing over to them as the news about Chicago broke,

"I have a house there! You could use it as your headquarters. Teleport in and ward it before they even know you're there" he said to the three new leaders and they nodded,

"Thank you, Edward, we'll try to keep it safe for you" Bella had said hugging the new vampire fairy,

"Thanks, man, that will be a great help!" Jasper had also told his brother.

"You've become a wise man young Edward. Could you ask Selente to tell her mother the High Queen, it might be wise to draw her people back until we sort out the trouble between our three factions" Romain then said with the solemnity of the occasion.

If war was upon them he wanted the other Fae safe and out of harm's way. He had spoken to many of the others and suggested a low profile for the time being. This was not of their doing; they seemed to get along with everyone. The humanoid Fae was the problem here, of all the human traits to come over with them, arrogance was the worst, followed closely by greed and self-importance. So as the stood surveying Edward's human childhood home, they all hoped everything would go well.

Romain had sent out a call for all witches to meet at the Chicago trading post, which was accessed by entering the Chess Pavilion on the Lakefront Trail. Most would teleport in of course, but he and Charlie would enter that way. Bella had just checked her new register and send magical notes to all the names on it asking them to meet her at the Rosehill Cemetery, where they would hopefully be undisturbed. It would be easier for her as there were fewer Witch Vampires here than the other two factions.

Jasper would, of course, have the hardest time; he would need to beard them in their den. Vampires would be less likely to answer a summons than the other two factions. So with that in mind, he would enter Sedgewick underground station and wait for them to find him and Charlotte. Peter wanted to be with them but he needed to be with Bella, mostly at Jasper's request.

The vampire leader here in Chicago had been around for a very long time, in fact, he was presumed to have died in the great fire and he never told anyone different. While the city had burned so too did he, just not in the same manner. It had taken him time to get to grips with his new life and as Chicago was rebuilt so too was his new vampire empire. He couldn't remember who he'd been before but they now called him 'Lucky Jim'. He was never sure if that was true or not, yes he survived the great fire, but at what cost?

Not willing to allow Jasper and Charlotte to be defenceless. Bella had placed shields in their minds, so at least they couldn't be protected from other gifts. It all came down to just how persuasive Jasper could be. But if push came to shove he and Charlotte could do a lot of damage if needed. As they strode through the empty tunnels below the city, he emanated a power and dark presence that Charlotte was glad wasn't directed at her.

She knew without looking the Major was once more in control, but lord help them if the 'God of War' made an appearance. Everyone always thought they were one and the same. Only Charlotte and Peter knew better, when the Major checked out and it wasn't Jasper in charge, he became his true vampiric self, the beast that was within them all. He was one of few vampires who had not two but three parts to him. Maria had done a serious number on Jasper when he was the Major and once she unleashed the beast, even she was not safe! She had opened Pandora's Box and could not close it again, no matter how hard she tried.

**TCHBTE**

Back in Forks Emmett was watching the three split-screen monitors in front of him, he had rigged each of the six with cameras and earpieces. He hoped that if they came up against anything out of their remit then the community of Forks could help. This was one of the main reasons Jasper left him in charge, Emmett could think outside of the box. His plan bore fruit quickly as Jasper and Charlotte got deeper into the tunnels. They came across what they thought were fairies, but wingless and grey in appearance. Emmett yelled for Edward and Selente.

"They are starved of fairy food and their wings clipped! How vile and repulsive is this vampire?" Spat Selente,

"Jasper, Charlotte Hold out your hands, cupped in front of you," Edward said into the microphone in front of Emmett.

The two vampires complied and soon their hands were overflowing with fairy food and drink,

"Quickly, eat and drink and then follow our scent back out of here and flee the city, in High Queen Ravshala's name I command you!" Jasper told the frightened fairies,

But on hearing their Queens name spoken, they did as he bid and fled as soon as their wings reappeared. The evil one had not even known that information, this vampire was no enemy.

"The evil one has the other Fae chained to him, using our magic, our strength for his own gain" an old fairy male whispered to Charlotte.

Over at the Chess Pavilion, everything was going smoother; there was a couple of witches missing and everyone seemed reluctant to say why. With a nod to Charlie from Romain, he used his mind manipulation and it all tumbled out. They were mother and daughter, both worked for Lucky Jim, but they both fancied themselves as ruling by his side. Neither was his mate but he bedded both and let them use their magic on his behalf. He was a typical vampire his greed made him sloppy and he assumed no one could take him on.

In the graveyard, Bella too had a couple of absentees, both she was told were prisoners of 'Lucky Jim'. One was the husband of a witch in his employ and the other their son, for insurance purposes the thought, both turned by 'Lucky Jim' to tie them to him as their sire. As each told Emmett their findings he relayed it to the others. Bella bid the Witch Vampires hide until they sorted this out. Then she and Peter teleported to Jasper and Charlotte's position.

Romain and Charlie knew they could not interfere, as witches it would cause more harm than good. So once their meeting was concluded and the witches back under control, they set about the task of checking on what the humans had seen and how to fix it. Memory charms were a blessing at times like this and hopefully, it would only be a few. They were right, the only ones talking were drunks and drug addicts, and with their faculties impaired they saw magic, as did children. But like the children, no one believed their ramblings.

**TCHBTE**

The four to all eyes vampire pushed on through the corridors and found their next challenge, shapeshifters were guarding the way deeper underground. They were many different types, large cats, wolves, birds of prey and a couple of bears. Bella ensured they were shielded and Jasper stepped forward. In Forks, it was now the turn of Cah'mel and Old Quil to talk to Jasper.

"Ask to address the Alpha of their group," Quil said first,

Which Jasper did and this confused the animals, no one had cared about their hierarchy before. Yes, they were not all the one tribe, but over the years they had become one. Jasper could see the collars around their necks and asked if they were bond in their animal form. One bear nodded his head and they all relaxed their stance as a huge white polar bear approached them.

"I am Major Jasper Whitlock, are you the Alpha?" he asked as gently as he could. The great bear nodded, with a sad look in his eyes.

"The collars hold you in your animal form? I assume they are covered in vampire venom to stop you tearin' them off?" he said now trying to see one closer up and the bear nodded again.

"May we look? I may be able to remove them if there is no magic involved" Jasper said now and all heads lifted to him,

"Hello, I'm Bella and if there's magic involved then I can deal with that! The great spirits willing" Bella said listening to Cah'mel's instructions, she stepped up to her mate and smiling kindly,

This too had them sitting up and taking notice. Bella waved her hand over the gathering and smiled,

"Arrogant asshole did it the old-fashioned way, Major. How much is this going to hurt us because those collars are barbed?" she asked cringing a little.

"Not at all if you magic us a copy of the key sweet cheeks!" Peter said smirking and she slapped her own forehead feeling a little foolish,

"Not to worry darlin' this is all new to you and hey your thinkin' like a vampire first!" Jasper sad smiling at her lovingly,

So without further ado, Bella conjured up a key and they started to release the shifters one at a time. The polar bear lastly and he slumped to the floor in his human form.

"Fifty years, it's been fifty years since I last shifted human. There is one more, she can't stand and they wouldn't let her shift human, this way please" he said staggering to his feet slowly,

In a side alcove was a young-looking polar bear that had obviously had her legs broken repeatedly and they had healed all wrong. Her shock at seeing the others as their human selves was apparent and Bella released her immediately.

"Okay, I'm teleporting you all to Forks, Washington where the two shaman will help you all," she said,

"Wait for me Jasper" was whispered on the breeze as they all disappeared from sight.

"Fuck! This is like the worst ever episode of the Crystal Maze!" Peter said sinking to the ground shaking his head.

They waited quietly for Bella's return and praying things didn't get worse as they entered the final area. It they hoped, would only house vampires and those they could deal with no problem.

**TCHBTE**

'Lucky Jim' was feeling anything but lucky. His two tame witches were screaming and shouting at him like demented banshees. He had told them not to attend the summons and now their magic was gone. He had foolishly assumed they could not be touched this far away, but the Supreme Wicche proved him wrong. If Major Whitlock showed up now he wasn't sure he could survive an attack.

He wasn't a fighter he was a gambler and a showman. Calling everyone in close he waited not knowing when or where the attack might happen, but sure now it would be soon. Unknown to him and without the benefit of magic he was blinded to the fact they were already there. Jasper had unknowingly entered by the back door and not as Jim thought through the front in an all-out attack.

Not knowing the Major, he didn't know anything about his techniques or practices. So it was a massive surprise to them all when Jasper's voice rang out from the rear of the cavern,

"I can't say I like this subterranean vibe you've got goin' on!"

All the vampire rushed head-on at the four standing there nonchalantly and bounced off Bella's shield, like balls thrown at a wall.

"Halt!" Jim shouted seeing this would be harder than he thought, "Welcome to Chicago, Major Whitlock" he added wondering where all his shifters and fairies were,

"I would have been here sooner, but we had some displaced people to return home!" Jasper drawled, letting him know the rear was clear and no help would come that way.

"What!" yelled one of the witches, "I needed their magic," she said unthinkingly,

"They were not yours to do with as you pleased! I see Romain bound your powers, I might just tell him to leave you that way" Bella retorted and the witch drew back in fear.

"You can't do that!" the other exclaimed haughtily,

"Oh, I can and I most definitely might! Now, where are the two Witch Vampires? I want the released to me now" Bella replied with acid in her tone, disliking these to witches, no make that, bitches before her!

"I am their sire, so I say where they go or not" Jim now said and Bella saw two men looking at him with hatred,

"I am their leader and I wish to speak with them, alone!" Bella replied,

"They have nothing to say to you! I assure you" He pressed and Bella snorted,

"Well, why don't I ask them that. Gentlemen, you are under my shield and safe so what have you to say on this matter?" Bell asked kindly,

"We are prisoners held against our will, turned for his amusement! I would leave if I could" One spat at Jim's feet after having his say,

"Me too, what my father says is true and those two let him do it, My own wife and mother, may they rot in hell for eternity!" the other said clearly glaring at the two witches with disgust.

"Well gentlemen, the one of you that has working magic, I suggest you teleport both of you out of here to this address!" Bella says magically putting a note in the younger man's hand,

"Oh and Romain, here's a present for you!" she said before sending the two women to him at the Chess Pavilion.

"Alone at last!" Jasper drawled and Jim looked uneasy.

* * *

The **Crystal Maze** is a British game **show** devised by Jacques Antoine, in which a team of contestants take on a range of challenges set within a labyrinth of the same name consisting of four time zones, winning a "time **crystal**" (golf ball-sized Swarovski glass crystals) for each one they successfully complete. 1990-1996 hosted by Richard O'Brien, revised and revamped 2016 hosted by Richard Ayoade.


	11. The Winning Hand

"I don't believe in war, for war's sake. Bet you'd never have guessed that, not with my reputation? I don't have the time or patience for Prima Donnas either. Why were you tryin' to start a war just for the damned sake of it? You have your own little piece of the world right here, why rock the boat?" Jasper asked as he glanced around assessing the room,

"Why? Why not? We're vampires and as the superior supernatural species, we can do as we please" Lucky Jim replied, although he didn't sound too confident about his reason,

"Wrong, we were never the superior breed. But in our own arrogance, we created a stronger one. The Witch Vampires are actually now the top of the food chain, without a shadow of a doubt!" Jasper told him striding forward and smirking as all the other vampires stepped back.

"That's not possible! They were just humans that could do magic, what makes them better than us?" Lucky Jim demanded scathingly,

"Well, take my wife here for instance. She was a powerful witch, now she's a strong vampire who is still a powerful witch. You just saw your men bounce off her shield, saw her free your prisoners and remove your witches. I'd say that was superior, seein' as she didn't move a muscle to do any of it. Let me introduce you, Lucky Jim, meet Isabella Whitlock the leader of the American Witch Vampire Council!" Jasper said proudly as Bella smiled at him,

"Thank you, Jasper. I should be on my honeymoon you know, but alas! It seems the overzealous Caius Volturi and you don't want that. So here we are and I want nothing but to leave as soon as possible. You have a choice today, accept Major Whitlock as the leader of the American Vampires or die! It's really up to you, but please don't wait too long to decide, neither of us are patient people" Bella said quite tonelessly, before stepping back beside her husband.

They both saw the vampire out the corner of their eyes; he had been slowly edging around to get behind them. With Bella's shield up who knows what they thought he could do. Bella smiled and squeezed Jasper's hand before placing a ring of fire around the fool. As the others moved forward she did the same to them and then raised an eyebrow to Lucky Jim. He could see he was outclassed and outmanoeuvred and his shoulders slumped.

"It's not right, it took me years to build my empire and you want me to just hand it over to you?" Lucky Jim spat,

"I don't want your empire; I don't need your money! All I want is your allegiance, nothin' more. I'm tryin' to stop war breakin' out here in America, nothin' else" Jasper said with conviction,

"What! He said you'd take my life's work" Lucky Jim said confused,

"Who?" Jasper demanded now getting angry, his eyes turning black,

"That bastard! He's been ripping me off for three years. Told me a witch or two in my corner would keep all vampires away and to slowly start a war, one that witches couldn't win. I assumed he wanted control of the council and was using Chicago as the battleground. Then he called in a panic and said you were taking out all the major vampire players one by one. I'll kill him, the lying sack of shit!" Lucky Jim ranted,

"Who God damn it?" Jasper yelled at him,

"Gerard, bloody Gerard Peters, that's who! Travis' right-hand man, that backstabbing little weasel. He sent me my two witches and I paid him handsomely for them!" he yelled back.

"Romain? Did you hear all that?" Bella asked quietly knowing the earpiece would pick everything up,

"Yes. Curse the man, I'll deal with him" Romain sighed as he turned to Charlie and they headed back into the trading post where most of the witches were still milling about.

**TCHBTE**

The next several hours were passed by each leader discussing things with their own groups. Emmett sent the video link to Romain and Bella and each one showed their side what happened in the vampire lair and who was to blame. Romain outlawed using any kind of force on other species for a witches personal gain from that moment on. He then in front of all his people there and gave his apologies to the High Queen of the fairies, Ravshala and to Shaman Ateara on behalf of the shifter nation for the wrongdoings of those three witches.

They would be stripped of their powers, their memories wiped and sent into the human world as a family of three. They would never be allowed back into the witch community and their names greyed out in the archives as if they were dead. To the vampires, this seemed to easy a punishment, but to the others, it was the greatest of insults. Their family lines terminated and their names forever sullied in the worlds of the Wicche and Witch Vampire.

Even the shifters saw the significance, it was like being shunned and stripped of your tribe. They might not remember it, but they would feel it strongly. The loss of something important, something fundamental to their psyche. They would age normally now and be susceptible to human ailments, they would not live very long lives. They would slowly become depressed and despondent and grieve a loss they couldn't remember. Technically it was a prison and a life sentence, just one without walls or guards.

**TCHBTE**

Bella's meeting was less tense, they were keen to move forward and be a recognised species. She explained from now on they didn't answer to vampires or witches, but they would answer to each other and finally her. She wanted them to vote for their own council, as she would expect from every other city. Those leaders along with her would make up the American council.

"What about Europe, will the Volturi accept us?" someone asked and Bella laughed,

"The Volturi are all but over, Marcus is one of us and already free from Volterra. I see him being my counterpart over there. Caius is in chains and Aro is beset from all sides" she explained to the gathering,

"How can you be sure? We're only getting spotty information from over there" another voice asked,

"Ah, Ladies and Gentlemen please meet my right-hand man, Captain Peter Whitlock," she said smiling and signalling Peter closer to her side,

"He's a vampire! A warrior" the first voice said now,

"He was, yes, once upon a time. In his own words Peter 'Just knows shit', but the index says he has the cognitive power of the Oracle" Bella said smiling at them all and Peter watched their expressions change from fear to shock and then respect,

This was all new to Peter, normally people didn't see him, he had been Jasper's shadow for years or the comic relief and then just a nomad along with Charlotte. But these people were looking at him with awe, yet most of them had magic he didn't. He wasn't aware witches held seers, true seers in the highest regard. The ones like Alice were ten a penny and really unreliable for the delicate nature of magic. But true sight is quite rare in their world; therefore seers were sought far and wide.

**TCHBTE**

Jasper and Charlotte were having a quite easy time, once all the stupidity was out of the way and Lucky Jim understood what was really happening. As much as Jasper loved Charlotte he was missing Peter by his side, he might act the fool but his brother was the most reliable person he'd ever known. But on the other hand, who better to be at Bella's side at this time, he wouldn't have been able to leave her otherwise. Yeah, he knew she could protect herself and him too.

However he was old-fashioned enough to believe it was his job as her mate and husband, but also his honour to look out for her. Because she was his life now and if anything happened to her, God he could barely think about it. All this stuff happening to them now was nothing in the face of his love for her. He once scoffed at the notion someone would burn the world down for love, but he knew now that he would and laugh while he did it, all she need do is ask him.

"You are distracted Major, I think your mind is elsewhere. With your beautiful young mate perchance?" Lucky Jim said smiling, but an air of wistfulness was there too.

"Your right, of course, it's hard to be apart from her this soon and if you don't mind I might go and find her," Jasper said rising,

"Thank you, Major. I wish I'd never listened to that snake in the grass, but thank God, you were not the savage of a man he said you were" Lucky Jim said shaking Jasper's hand and bowing over Charlotte's in a long-forgotten show of courtliness.

**TCHBTE**

A murmur went through the crowd and a couple of growls of appreciation. Bella didn't need to turn around to know who was standing in the distance. Giving their meeting the respect it deserved, Jasper had arrived and her whole body hummed in response.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Do you know a vampire dressed as a cowboy?" a young girl asked, her eyes never leaving Jasper,

"Is he about this tall, dressed all in black and walks like a panther stalking his prey?" Bella quizzed her and Peter sniggered,

"Yes, ma'am. He's yes, holy shit!" she answered flustered as waves of desire started to hit them all,

"Damn, meetin's over folks, just grab the person you love and run or hang the hell on!" Peter gasped out before spinning on his heel and rushing towards Charlotte,

"Darlin', I want you now, no, I need you now! Teleport us the hell out of here before I give these folks a show they'll never forget and undeniable proof who you belong too" growled the voice she loved deeply,

It was not Jasper, but the Major and his eyes were black as Bella turned and jumped into his waiting arms. Unknown to her some of the crowd were being a little more than interested in her and Jasper got the full brunt of it as he and Charlotte arrived.

"I'll speak to you all soon, but if you'll excuse us, my husband appears to need my undivided attention" Bella laughed loudly,

Before returning them to Edwards's house and straight into one of the bedrooms. She had scooped up Peter and Charlotte at the same time and they too ended up in a bedroom.

"I hope this isn't Edward's childhood bedroom, cause we're gonna defile it darlin'" he growled at her and she shivered in anticipation,

This was not going to be gentle or lovemaking, this was going to be claiming and fucking. But Bella knew no matter how he did it Jasper would never hurt her. She knew it had to be hard for him to feel other people's desire for her, she doubted she would be able to cope, them looking was bad enough. So she just relaxed and allowed him to get it out of his system.

Her clothes were the first thing to go and he licked and nipped every inch of her skin as it was exposed to him. No words were spoken at first just growls and purring. Then as he relieved himself of his own clothes and she could hear his grunted 'mine' over and over. Bella stroked his hair and down his back to his perfect ass, telling him repeatedly she loved only him, wanted only him.

She didn't remember being quite this flexible as a human witch, but she thanked the gods above, for it now. She knew she was now scented inside and out, literally, his tongue had wormed its way into every orifice on her body and she was beyond turned on. It was the most erotic thing to have your body worshipped to this degree. As he threw her legs over his shoulders she just hung on and enjoyed the ride as he pounded into her with enough force to break the bed.

Jasper didn't stop; he was a man on a mission. He barely noticed the bed collapse and just growled loudly not stopping for a second. The nearer to his climax he got the more intense his need for her felt, he had her bend almost double and was whispering his love, his devotion, his need for her in her ear. He had totally lost control of his emotions and they beat down on Bella in waves of endless desire and love.

The roar of both their release rattled the windows and in the near distance, they heard Peter and Charlotte echo their sentiment. Jasper collapsed on top of Bella and was silent at first as she held him tightly. Then she heard it a broken muffled sob, she lifted his head and looked into his desperate eyes. Holding him tightly she reassured him that she was his, that she would never leave him.

She knew instinctively that the whole emotions of the day had overwhelmed him and he'd succumbed to his own fears, that he wasn't good enough for her and someone would steal her away from him. Rolling him over onto his back Bella straddled his hips and slowly started to grind down on him until she felt him once more stiffen below her. Raising up slowly she sunk back down on his erection and set a slow and gentle pace.

She stroked his body, then his face and hair before turning to his scars. She kissed and licked every single one she could reach without breaking her slow loving pace. She was showing him her devotion, her love and commitment with her body. As they locked eyes and both moaned deeply she pulled him up so they were chest to chest. Jasper wrapped his arms around her and let her carry on her slow loving pace.

As they were about to reach their climaxes, Bella kissed him passionately before bending her head into his neck and sunk her teeth into him. She pumped as much venom as she could into him, as proof she was marking him as hers and hers alone. The shuddering sigh he released was proof that he understood what she was doing. They sat for a couple of hours locked in each other's embrace, passing their emotions back and forward.

"Thank you darlin', I kinda lost myself there for a moment. I love you, so damned much it scares me to death!" Jasper whispered as they heard the front door open and Charlie and Romain returned.

They stayed two more days, sorting out any problems the three factions had and eventually happy that peace was once more restored to Chicago and the humans were none the wiser. Unlike the others, vampires didn't do councils and discussions. It was better for one overall vampire to be in charge and then they would answer to Jasper. So Lucky Jim was still the leader and happy to bend the knee to the Major when necessary.

Old habits are hard to change for the vampires, more so than the witches and the witch vampires were similar but determined to try. They wanted to be like neither of the other two factions, but there are only so many ways to run a community. So Bella asked them as the first city to find something they wanted and were comfortable with and if it worked out the rest of America would follow their lead.

**TCHBTE**

"He's good! Not many could have prevented all-out war in a nation. Have you decided yet Felix? Because Aro's getting a little crazy since the twins left" Demetri asked his commander,

"The Major is good, yes, but they have a good foundation between the three groups. Gather the rest of the elite guard and let's see who's on my side first. I can't have you watching my back forever and I need to speak to the wives. I'm worried about Chelsea, but I could order her away. Marcus says she's a Witch Vampire so by rights she shouldn't be here and neither should Afton" Felix replied rising to his feet and slapping his friend on the shoulder.

Things went very smoothly considering the chaos they were in. Chelsea requested to be allowed to leave with Afton, saying that Aro had become very demanding and wanted her to bind every vampire in the citadel to him. Whereas she actually had started releasing them since Caius' rampage. Felix knew that he would only be ruling Europe now and that suited him fine, but unlike America, they had one other group who needed to be spoken to the Werewolves!

He knew they were being shielded by the Romanian brothers and they would be his hardest sell. He wondered if offering them the chance to see Aro and Caius burn might placate them all for a while. So with that in mind, he now approached the wives. He had a feeling Dora would be quite happy about her husbands soon to be demise. After all, she'd been Felix's lover for more years than he could remember, he was sure now that Chelsea had removed her thrall they might even be mates.

"Oh Felix, how could he do that to us?" Dora said the minute he entered the tower,

He was right of course, they knew, deep down they'd always known and could do nothing about it. But love had made them lovers if now mates and more than that friends. She was the one who listened while he vented for hundreds of years and now she would be next to him as he took over the rule of European vampires. Pica was devastated that Aro would do that to them and even though she hated him for it, knew she would have to die with him.

Unlike Marcus, she would never survive without her mate, because he kept her weak and dependant on him for all these years. But in a fit of peak, she asked to go before him and that would be her punishment to him for the short time he had left.

"Don't tell me when Felix, just be fast please" she whispered and left the two lovers alone,

"I'll miss her, but she's right she would never survive," Dora said from within Felix's embrace.

**TCHBTE**

Marcus was surprised when Chelsea turned up and wary. But she told him she just wanted them to be recognised and then they were leaving to be alone together for the first time ever. They would see the world she said and she never wanted to use her gift again. He explained it was a power, like Afton's and that they could maybe one day in the distant future work on it to see what else it could have been. She nodded and they disappeared into the night.

Jane had at first been a reluctant guest, but as Marcus discussed everything with her and explained she should have been a healer, not a torturer she decided that she would stay. Like Chelsea, she wished no part in the running of things and spent much time alone. Alec said she was trying to find herself, to know who she should have been and it would be many years before she really liked herself, but she would also be the best vet that Europe had ever seen.

Jane knew she couldn't work with humans, but animals yes. They would fear her at first, but as she removed their pain, they'd accepted the strange red-eyed person who helped them. Because they unlike humans, had no preconceived notions about her. Because she looked so young she would be able to stay in one place for much longer than any of the others except her brother, her unpaid anaesthetist. He enjoyed the uncomplicated needs of the animals and when Marcus didn't need him, was always by his sister's side.

**TCHBTE**

The future was looking brighter in America, the triad as they were now known. Travelled from city to city, solving problems and occasionally laying down the law. While back at home in Forks, all the shifters were incorporated into the tribe. Some had been shifting so long that their own families were long gone. Paul Lahote had imprinted onto the young polar bear girl called Ankka.

She was born in captivity, so to speak and found the world a strange place but between her father, Paul and his grandmother Cah'mel they slowly eased her fears and as her body healed properly with Carlisle's help, so to did her mind. It would be a couple of years before they could marry, but Paul was happy to wait and they all wondered what their children would be like. Wolf, Polar Bear or a Mustang throwback who knew, maybe one of each he secretly hoped.

They knew it was now a possibility when Leah and Embry found they were to be parents, Old Quil and Cah'mel, with the help of Shelley Cope, had made a potion to stop her phasing temporarily while she was pregnant and they would do it for all the female shifters. Leah was never happier when they arrived and three were female just like her.

The other thing that started to happen was because Cah'mel was the shaman for everyone they started to hear each other as the weeks passed and were happily incorporated into the pack properly. This was now the strangest looking one of all time. But the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, having eyes in the sky was amazing as they could all see what they did. Also, the brute strength of the bears was helpful in many ways.

**TCHBTE**

The next big thing to happen was a request from Europe. The witches wanted impartial or at least unbiased representation to the burning of Caius and Aro Volturi. Marcus was happy to have them as he wished to talk with not only Bella but Romain as well. Felix agreed as he had long wanted to meet Jasper and now he would get the chance. So a date for two weeks hence was set and everyone was happy except Armand Milfoil. Who was being ignored by most witches now.

Within a few weeks, he found himself ousted from the World Council and it itself was disbanded until all the new councils were in place. As Felix thought, Danielle Thurston stepped up to the plate and cleared out her Council of any malcontents and troublemakers. Little by little other continents took up the torch and cleaned house too. Not just the Witches, but Vampires chose leaders and Witch Vampires now contacted Marcus for help in making their own councils.

* * *

**Who's Who?**

**Old American Witch Council, ****Travis - ****Gerard - ****Thomas - ****Cathleen - ****Leon - ****2 Unnamed**

**New American Witch Council, ****Romain - ****Charlie - ****Thomas - ****Cathleen - ****3**** Unpicked as yet**

**Vampire Leaders, ****Jasper (America) ****Juan Ricardo (New York) ****Lucky Jim (Chicago)**


	12. Past, Present & Future

**A/N: Congratulations to 1tinac for being the 300th reviewer for this story and thanks everyone, 'Follow Where The Music Takes You have now passed 80,000 hits and 'Fool Me Once' is the 4th to clear 100,000 hits, xx Alexis**

* * *

Everyone was ready to go, well everyone but Romain. He was going to teleport in with Charlie on the day of the executions. Rome had its own trading post at the Baths of Caracalla; they are the ruins of a vast rectangular-shaped Roman thermal bath complex used from around 216 A.D. to 537 A.D. They had been brand new when the trading post first came into being there. The other four were going to see some sights and do a little shopping first.

Bella wasn't really into fashion that much, but for her sister Charlotte she would endure and Milan was said to be beautiful. They didn't stand out quite so much around all the other beautiful people once they'd arrived. She was amazed about seeing so much of the world as a Witch Vampire. They had come as almost regular tourists, but not by plane. Bella teleported them to Turin, but not the trading post as she was no longer technically a witch. That would have to be addressed later at world level meetings.

Italy had many wondrous things to see and she considered making a bucket list, she just wasn't planning on dying after she'd seen them all. There was so much history of all the worlds' peoples and Bella had a thirst for knowledge. She was, however, enjoying learning new languages as well and finding different ways to say 'I love you' to just was so happy she loved him as much as she did, still not seeing himself as totally deserving her.

They hired a car in Turin and would be able to return it to the Rome offices. But in the meantime, they were going to see as much of Italy as they could in the few days before the executions. First Milan for outfits to wear as they would no doubt be under scrutiny. Then off to Venice for a gondola ride and Char wanted some Murano glass, she had been collecting it for decades.

After that, it would be on to Florence for more shopping and sightseeing then a side trip to Volterra to see Felix Volturi. Then all would head to Rome where they would be entering into the catacombs to secret locations the humans weren't aware of. When the official business was over Naples would be their next destination and of course, Pompeii before teleporting home to Forks.

**TCHBTE**

While Peter and Jasper were getting fitted for some Armani three-piece suits, apparently Jasper had a thing about vests and Fedoras. Bella and Char were in Versace checking out the amazing styles and Bella felt in over her head at first, but as the initial opulence wore off she set to find the perfect outfit. Bella was just looking at an elegant ribbed fitted dress when Char nudged her repeatedly,

"Bella, Bella! Look its Alice" Charlotte groaned, on seeing the little female Witch Vampire holding court as it were,

"Remember she doesn't know me as far as she's aware. So just introduce me as the American Witch Vampire leader to start with" Bella said in a hushed tone,

"Charlotte Whitlock is that you? What on earth are you of all people doing in Milan, the fashion capital of the world?" Alice asked none too pleasantly, unable to keep the condescension out of her voice. She never had liked Jasper's sister of sorts,

"We, Bella and I that is, are attendin' the gatherin' in Rome for the executions and thought we might do some shoppin' beforehand. Bella this is Alice Cullen" Charlotte said laying her accent on thick, knowing it annoyed Alice and she was angry with her already,

"Ooh, how gruesome of you, why would anyone want to see that?" Alice said looking down her nose at Charlotte and now Bella too,

"Unfortunately Ms Cullen I have no choice, the European heads of the three councils asked for my presence along with the other two American leaders," Bella said formally still not liking Alice much,

"Oh, then you're somebody! I mean, are you someone important? How do you know Charlotte...," Alice said obsequiously,

Letting her sentence hang as if to say, how could anyone important know someone so common. Bella bristled and in her coldest tone replied,

"I am the American Witch Vampire leader actually, my name is Isabella Whitlock! I believe from your father, that you might be one of my many charges" Bella said putting emphasis on Alice's lowliness,

"Whitlock! Another one, I didn't realise how common the name was in America" Alice retorted actually getting the slap down she'd just received,

"No, there's only the four of us now" Charlotte replied biting her tongue and watching the wheels turn in Alice's head,

"But! No that can't be! He's gay!" Alice blustered, she could see nothing because of Bella's shield and she was beyond confused,

"Who's gay, you're not makin' any sense, Alice?" Charlotte asked in a squeaky voice as she tried not to laugh out loud,

"Jazzy! Over all the years I knew him, he never once showed any interest in me" She answered confident that if he wasn't attracted to her he must be gay,

"Could it have been the fact that you called him that fuckin' stupid name or that maybe he just didn't fancy your skinny ass? He likes his woman with a little meat and long hair you know. He always has and since I'm his sister, I would know!" Charlotte explained, having a ball at Alice's expense,

"I can assure you, Alice, it is Alice, yes? The Major is anything but gay" Bella said and then leaned in so Alice could see her mating mark and whispered,

"Not going by the way he fucked me six ways from Sunday, this morning!" then stroked her hands gently down her sides as if to point out the differences between the two of them.

"Well, if you'll excuse me I must get on and I think I'll be staying in Europe permanently!" Alice said snippily and turned away from the two friends and sisters,

"Well, Marcus is the man to see in Italy, okay? Nice to have met you, Alice!" Bella said her voice cracking at the end before she and Charlotte burst out laughing.

**TCHBTE**

The rest of the tour was over far too soon and Bella was a little freaked by the Citadel in Volterra, Felix assured them the death tours are a thing of the past and everyone hunted well away from home nowadays. They were taking a leaf out of the Americans book and targeting criminals and drug addicts. Dora was thrilled to meet the two women and whisked them away to talk about what she should wear. Not only was she the ex-wife of one of the prisoners, but also a member of the new council of vampires.

When Felix suggests they leave for Rome Bella laughs, telling to send off his guard. They wait several more hours and just as the ladies appear dressed to impress more than just their mates Bella says,

"Time to leave, step closer please" and she transports them all to the entrance to the catacombs,

Romain, Marcus and Danielle are waiting for their arrival and the six leaders sweep in with their six most trusted guards and friends. Peter, Charlotte, Demetri, Alistair, Charlie and a witch called Marcella. Dora joined Heidi and entered behind them all. As they enter the cavernous catacombs the three factions are standing uneasily in their own groups. The prisoners were brought forward just as a slight commotion started at the back,

The most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen came forward with a large man and a huge tiger by her side. Even those who had seen shifters before had never seen anything like the stunning beauty and ferocity of this giant white Bengal tiger. Romain and Marcus dropped to one knee on seeing the woman and the others quickly followed suit,

"Queen Ravshala, High Queen of the Fairies, you do us a great honour coming to this gathering," Marcus said and all around the catacomb murmurs were heard,

"Rise all of you, I am just one more leader come to see justice served and with me, under my protection are Chieftain Colton de Lupus and Supreme Alpha Vali of Bengal," she said clearly,

Many realised now that the man was no ordinary man by a werewolf, but one with no scent what so ever and the tiger was also a man, which he demonstrated by phasing before them into his human form before donning the robe the Queen carried.

"You are all most welcome, we are here with one common goal to end the corrupt rule of Aro Volturi and his insane brother Caius," Romain said now and the three newcomers crossed to stand at their sides,

The Queen removed her wrap and her wings spread out behind them all, huge and shimmering. They were easily four times larger than any other fairy and they constantly changed colour as everyone watched. Marcus introduced everyone and Felix stepped forward and said,

"In front of these illustrious leaders, I would like them to recognise that we are now known as the European Lamia! All vampires should call themselves this and use their own names at all other times, just as Major Whitlock does. I am Marcellus Antonius Flavius, but you can call me Felix"

There were several rumbles of humour and many more of assent. Vampires would now be called just that, Vampire. It made more sense and did away with any ruling house.

"So be it, our records will show from this day all vampires are Lamia and Felix Antonius is the European leader, just as Major Jasper Whitlock is the leader of the Americas," Marcus said now and Peter lifted an eyebrow,

"Shit, they just slipped Mexico onto our plate!" he murmured into Jasper's ear.

The sound of loud chain rattling drew everyone's attention to the prisoners and Caius specifically. He was not only bound but gagged, so no one could hear his ranting. How they all deserved to die and they were afraid of him. It was repeated over and over and each time more foul and degrading than his last insult until a guard waved a lit torch in his face and he quietened down. As if practised beforehand everyone turned to the European Witch leader Danielle.

"We all know the crime; we all know the perpetrator and his enabler. This has gone on for many years and yes we know Marcus with Aro's sporadic help hid many of us from Caius Volturi. But it wasn't enough until finally, he wiped out the witch delegation in their own stronghold.

It was a meeting that never should have happened, but Aro was too arrogant to come to meet us and Sebastian Le Sorcière allowed it. Unlike all his predecessors who refused point-blank to enter their domain. It was a blatant disregard for the safety of his council. Yet, in saying that how was he to know the beast was unleashed and would strike without remorse.

We have called for their final deaths by burning in front of witnesses. I thank you all for agreeing and for Romain for being our witch adjudicator, as are Major Whitlock and Isabella Whitlock for the Lamia and Witch Vampires respectively. And a special thanks to the three leaders of the Fairies, Werewolves and Shapeshifters for joining us" she said above the rattling of Caius' chains,

It was as if it was sinking in there would be no escape for him this time. Aro said nothing, he had been in a daze since Pica had been killed and wished for nothing but death now. For once he was aware just how Marcus felt and he had held him bound for centuries. Selfishly he was glad this would not be his fate at all because he knew he would never survive even with Chelsea's gift.

"Aro please step forward. I will not be the one to kill you but know this you don't deserve this quick death. You thought I never knew that you struck Didyme down, but I have known and been unable to do anything about it for centuries" Marcus said before plunging his hand into Aro's chest and pulling free his stone-like heart,

"I'll maybe burn this in a century or two he told his stricken brother, who would now know no peace until the last of him burned.

He was dragged to the centre and quickly dispatched as everyone looked on or in awe at Marcus for that feat of strength. Caius was kicking and growling and was about to die like the rabid dog he was, he had no intention of going easily or quietly. Nobody spoke to him, nobody cared for him, and they all only wanted him dead. As the purple smoke rose Dora stepped closer to Felix and whispered,

"Free at last my love"

**TCHBTE**

It had all felt anticlimactic to Bella, but once they were gone it was now a summit and a few grievances were sorted and Bella got her chance to ask about the trading posts around the world. It was agreed that Witch Vampires could still access them as the anti-violence spells would still work on them. The Supreme Alpha approach Romain and explained how he came to be and asked him to pass the information onto the Quileutes as they in the future would produce their own Supreme Alpha,

"I am the product of three separate types of shifters. My shaman informed me they will have one such as me in a few years" Vali explained and Bella realised who it would be, saying,

"Paul and Ankka, their child when they have one, it with have the blood of three tribes coursing through its veins. Wolf, Mustang and Polar bear, that child will be the Supreme Alpha of the Americas!"

Everyone agreed that she was right and looked forward to passing on the information to Old Quil and Cah'mel. They would have the honour of teaching the child about all its heritages and guiding it into the future.

"I would also like to extend the hand of friendship to the one called Cah'mel; she is now the Eternal Shaman and should meet all others, as her burden will be to keep the faith alive in the years to come!" Vali pronounced and Bella smiled and asked for a moment.

She teleported home, passed on the good news and whisked Cah'mel back to Rome with her. Jasper grabbed her up as she returned,

"That's the strangest feelin', darlin'. It's the pull, but almost like elastic. I felt it stretch out and knew it would snap back exactly when it did. It'll take some getting used to. The last time wasn't that intense so distance must play a part in it" he told her as he hugged her close,

"Will this be over soon Jasper? I have a yearning for lonely sandy beaches and my sparkling mate" she asked him,

"Well, I know a woman with an island! Off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, I could ask her nicely when we get back" he purred in her ear,

"Yes please" was all she replied.

**TCHBTE**

True to his word Jasper asked Esme and Carlisle for the use of Isle Esme for their belated honeymoon. They were more than happy to grant the couple their request and within the week they were on their way. She teleported them to Rio and they took a boat out to the island. She always preferred teleporting to somewhere that has a trading post, not some random location. Afraid she'd end up it the water or worse depending on where it was.

They spent three idyllic weeks, making love, swimming, exploring the area before they settled for just lazing around. That was when they heard a boat approaching and Peter and Charlotte arrived.

"Thought you might like some company" was all Peter said and they laughed,

Next came Rose and Emmett and a few days later Garrett and Kate. The eight of them had a great time, just being themselves leaving all the worries behind them until they had to return. The others departed first giving the couple one last week alone before both had to pick up their mantles once more. They discussed the future, what they'd like to do, where they wanted to go once both their councils were up and running.

"Okay darlin', today's our last day what do you want to do?" Jasper asked Bella as they lay in bed watching the sunrise,

"I'd like to see you hunt, my love. Would that be okay?" She asked in return,

This was something she'd never seen as she had been supplying him with blood at home. Jasper nodded and told her there had been talk on the mainland of a man-eating big cat loose in the area, so they would search for it. The locals usually took on these animals, when they happened. But with their superior skills in picking up a scent, it shouldn't be too hard to trace it.

So they quickly dressed and headed out to the dock, taking the boat into the city. They approached the position of the latest kill site and picked up the animals scent, it appeared to have slunk back into the dense forest. It didn't take long to be hot on its trail; the animal reeked of human blood.

"It will probably make my eyes red, is that alright darlin'?" he worried that she wouldn't like to see him that way,

But after having been around so many human drinkers lately she had wondered what he would look like with red eyes. The blood substitute had turned his eyes a tawny brown, instead of the original gold. Bella found the whole hunt invigorating, the constant stopping and checking the air for the slightest nuance of the animal. The looking for evidence it had passed that way and the finding of paw prints or claw marks along the way.

It was about noon when they finally closed in on its position, deep within the jungle. It was sleeping off its latest meal but sprang to life at their proximity. Jasper was pleased it would have bee to easy otherwise. He stood in a small clearing as if to taunt the animal and it worked. It stalked closer and Jasper could see the slightly crazed look in its eyes. Bella was up a tree watching the two circling each other.

Jasper was just playing with the cat, whereas it was looking for a weakness in him. Normally large cats didn't do this, unlike bears. So it was gratifying to him that it was putting up a fight, but no matter what it would die today, at his hand. It growled and roared at Jasper and he growled back, making it pause slightly, but it soon resumed its pursuit of him.

Finally, the cat lunged at him and the fight was on. Jasper toyed with it for a few minutes enjoying the thrill of it all, before he eventually broke its neck and sunk his teeth into its neck. Looking up his eyes locked on Bella and she felt drawn to him. He held out the still warn body as she approached and she to fed from it. She knew immediately that this was something she had denied Jasper, with the substitute blood and also knew they would be doing this again.

But what she didn't expect was the pure animal instinct to be together physically that followed their kill. It was overwhelming and insanely erotic; no wonder he insisted they bring spare clothes for the both of them. She had ripped his shirt clean off him and he had done the same to her. They now almost hunted each other before he pinned her to the ground and tore away the rest of her clothes. The sheer joy of feeling the blood coursing through her veins and the manic need for him was beyond intense.

The joining together of their bodies was neither gentle nor loving, it was wild and sensual and she couldn't contain the release of energy from her body. The skies above them darkened and the heavens opened with a deluge of rain. The locals would talk about the freak storm for many years, not knowing that it was a by-product of two lovers coming together both physically and emotionally.

Yes, Bella decided this was something they would do again and often. Keeping track of rogue animals worldwide might be their newest passion. As the sunset on their last day, the couple were laying naked on the jungle floor, sated and both wore new mating marks. They looked up at the rainbow arcing the sky above them and sighed knowing it was time to return to their more responsible lives.

**TCHBTE**

Of the three leaders, Romain had the easiest task, rogue witches were able to be bound and this made them powerless. The other two had to deal with more volatile creatures, Bella could trap them and if she couldn't reason with them, she could use her shield and power to destroy them. Jasper was happy to do it the old fashioned way, keeping him on his toes and reaffirming his dominance over those he led.

It would be five long hard and occasionally heartbreaking years before the World Council of the supernatural came into being. Each faction had their own councils and they voted for one to be on the World Council for only two years, this helped to stop corruption and discontent. The aim was to live in harmony with each other and keep their world a secret from the humans. It was a good and fair system.

The Supreme Alpha had been born as predicted and his parents were overjoyed. Paul was profoundly happy and hoped his son would pick the stallion as his chosen form later in his life. Sadly Old Quil had passed over to the great hunting grounds in the sky and Cah'mel was the sole shaman for the tribe now. She was training two of the young people, a bird shifter and a wolf to take over there in La Push. She was thankful she need not sleep, as her net was cast wide over the tribes of the world. But it would ease with time and patience.

All these things heralded a new age for the supernatural world. Where once there was division, now there was unity. Where once misplaced fear and hated reigned, tolerance and friendship grows. The humans too unknowingly benefitted from the cessation between factions, fewer crossfire deaths occurred worldwide. No one knew all those years ago vampire or should that be Lamia moving to Forks Washington would be the catalyst for change as their world had never seen.

Bella was happy and content with how her life had evolved, yes she was different, but yet still the same. Her downtime with Jasper and her friends was what kept her sane. She was right about her power though, it was rarely used day to day. Elementals are like the human's nuclear weapons, they were a deterrent, one nobody wanted to see in action.

* * *

**Lamia (Latin) - **Vampire

Many Roman men, particularly those of middling fame, would be known by their _**tria nomina**_, a set of three names _(_**Marcellus Antonius Flavius**_)_: the _**praenomen**_, the first or personal name; _**nomen**_, the name of the family _(__**gens**_** or clan**); and _**cognomen**_**,** a third name, originally an individual's nickname, used to designate the descendants of his branch of the _**gens**_. Some men may have additional names,_**agnomina**_ (**Felix**)


End file.
